Separated
by Devdan
Summary: Some say every story has to begin happily but not for Katara and her friend's and family. After a tough battle against Azula that nearly cost her, her life it is only the beginning of a whole new adventure. Chapter 11 "The Intruders part 1: The Truth"
1. Prologue part 1 of 4

Title: Separated

Author: Devdan

Rating: T

Summary: Some say everystory begins happily but not for Katara and her friend's and family. After a tough fight against Azula that almost cost her, her life it is only the begining of a whole new adventue.

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar the last Airbender

Warning: this chapter contains minor description of violence

Note: as you may or may not know I'm the author of "Where's Katara" don't worry I'm working on that story I'm just taking a break I'll be back at writting that when ever I get the chance.

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Prologue part 1 

After what felt like an eternity firelord Ozai was gone, the throne room lay in ruins and the avatar had finally ended the century long war.

Meanwhile . . . . . 

Sokka had gotten up and washed the blood off his sword after knocking down a bunch of firenation soldiers when he heard the news the firelord was dead, they had won. He felt like celebrating but that would have to wait he needed to find Toph and his sister and make sure they were ok first.

"Toph . . . Katara" he called walking among the fallen and seeing the horrors that the battle had brought but he was too preoccupied with finding his friend and sister to pay much attention.

"TOPH . . . KATARA"

"TO . . ." he was cut off by someone shouting "OVER HERE!"

He turned to find Toph running towards him.

"Toph your ok" he said with relief one down, one to go then he asked her urgently "Toph have you seen or heard anything from Katara?".

"About 2 hrs ago, I was surrounded by firenation soldiers Sugar Queen came running over to help when Azula struck her down, she got right back up when Azula took off in one of the back alleys and Sugar Queen followed" Toph explained then added "And that was the last time I had seen her".

Relief soon turned to concern at the thought of his sister taking on Azula the person who single handedly took down the avatar. Then he turned around and took off yelling back to Toph "come on Toph we've got to find her". She followed him close behind as they took off in search of Katara. _'We've got to'_ he thought to himself desperately _'we just_ have to'.

**20 minutes later . . .**

"KATARA!"

"SUGAR QUEEN!"

Sokka mind was racing he just had to find her, he couldn't bare to lose her not after losing his mother 6 yrs ago, as he and Toph raced down the pathways off the palace. All he could think about was Katara lying dead in some alley way he tried to push that thought out of his head but it just wouldn't go away. Just then Toph stopped and called for Sokka.

"Sokka over here" Toph suddenly said beckoning him over "I think I found something".

At hearing this he then sprinted off towards Toph and both off them began walking down a narrow pathway on the far side of the palace. Sokka looked around and noticed that there must have been one heck of a fight here there were scorch marks on the walls of the buildings.

"Toph what exactly is down here that made you want to come through here?"

"This is the pathway that Azula ran down and if my feet are correct there's a dead end up ahead", she explained.

Just then they stopped at the smell of blood and lots of it.

It made Sokka feel nauseous then fear flooded him as he knew what would lay head.

The two of them slowly approach the corner and looked over the other side. Sokka was horrified at what lay before him. He stepped around the corner and he began shaking a little bit at the sight, the smell of blood filled the air. The walls were scorched and covered in blotches of blood as he took a step he felt something squishy under his feet he lifted his foot and winced a little bit when he found it was blood mixed in with the sand covered ground. As he walked scanning the battle scene he felt sick to his stomach and he was more scared then he had ever been for his little sister. Then he felt a lump on the ground and he looked down to see what it was and to his horror it was Katara's water sack torn and covered with blood.

'_No this can't be happening'_ he thought frantically as he searched the sides of all the buildings in the alley then his eyes stopped at the bloody figure lying surrounded by a pool of blood. His heart nearly stopped and he was very fearful as he walked slowly over to the figure then he stopped right in front of he dare not look down but had to know who it was, he had a weird feeling that it was his sister. He looked down and looked over the person carefully and to his shock and relief it wasn't his little sister but was Azula. He was relieved to find that Katara hadn't been killed fighting Azula but relief soon turned to concern when realized Katara was still out there.

"Is it her?" Toph asked uneasily.

"No its Azula, but Katara's no where in sight she must be still out there"

"Where do you think we should look now?" Toph asked.

Sokka wasn't very sure where to look now then it hit him the palace maybe she went to help Aang after they announced the Firelord was dead.

"The palace of course she'd want to be there for Aang after he beat the firelord"

"Good idea lets go"

**At the palace. . . **

Sokka and Toph ran up the stairs of the palace to find Aang standing on the balcony looking out sadly at all the destruction that had been caused. He looked tired but he didn't move until he heard the sound of footsteps running up the stairs.

"AANG"

"TWINKLETOES"

He turned to the sound of his friends and he smiled.

"Hi guys", he said happily it quickly faded when he saw there faces.

"What happened", he asked concerned

"She's not with you", Sokka said frantically.

"Who?" Aang said completely confused.

"Katara"

"Katara"

"Yes"

"No I thought she was with you when we split up?" Aang asked confused because the last time he checked she was with her brother and Toph.

"She was but we all got separated when the third wave of firebenders came" Sokka began "Toph said she saw her last 2 hrs ago when she came to help her but got jumped by Azula who then took off into a alley on the far side of the palace and Katara followed after her. Then about 10 minutes ago we found where the battle took place the good news is Azula's dead the bad news Katara wasn't there and the only trace we found was her torn water sack", Sokka explained sadly then continued "we came here in hopes that she came here to help you after you defeated to firelord but I guess she's not here".

After Sokka had finished Aang felt nauseous and fear flooded him for he couldn't even begin to see life without Katara.

Then he suggested "Maybe we should go see your father and all the other warriors and see if one of them has seen her"

After a few minutes the trio finally found Sokka and Katara's father.

"Dad . . . DAD!" Sokka cried.

Hakoda turned to find his son running towards him he began to smile that soon faded when he saw his son's face and knew imediantly something was definitely wrong.

"What's wrong Sokka" he asked concerned.

"Have you seen Katara?"

"No, isn't she with you?"

"No she's not and we can't find her all we know is the last time she was seen was 2 hrs ago fighting Azula, who Toph and I found dead in an alley way, we were hoping you had seen her", Sokka explained.

Before Hakoda had a chance to speak one of the warriors from the earthkingdom spoke "Um excuse me but are you guys talking about a young watertribe girl?"

Hakoda turned to him and told him they were then the man explained his friend had seen a young watertribe girl walking among the wreckage 30 minutes ago.

"Where is your friend exactly?" Hakoda asked him.

"In the healing tents his arms got broken"

"O but are you able to tell us of her condition?" Hakoda asked.

"Not all that good my friend told me she was limping and covered in severe burns sir" the man explained then added "also my friend had seen 2 or 3 firebenders following her, possibly Ozai loyalists, that she had no idea were following her".

After hearing this Hakoda became very concerned for his daughter's safety and survival first he thanked the man for the information, and then ordered a group of men to go searching for her.

**Earlier that day . . .**

Katara was running down the streets of the palace her water sack hanging over her shoulder when she heard Toph yelling and the sound of rock clashing and fireblasts. She turned around to find Toph surrounded by a group of firebenders.

She then drew out the water contained inside of her water sack and charged and knocked down a few of the men.

"Well look who finally showed up" Toph said sarcastically shooting a rock at one of the firebenders knocking him down.

"Ha ha Toph hilarious" Katara replied sarcastically as she freezes one of the soldiers.

"SUGAR QUEEN LOOK OUT!"

"Wha . .?"

Just then a bolt of lightning came out of nowhere Katara saw it at the last second and blocked it with an ice shield when it made contact with the shield moments later it blew up sending Katara flying several feet away.

"Aaaaaaaaaaah" Katara screamed as she flew and landed hard on the ground. She then got up and saw it was Azula who then took off in one of the alley ways. Katara quickly got up and gathered up all the water that had been dropped and charged after her.

She found Azula in a guard stance right in front of the wall blocking further entrance or the dead end.

"Well, well if it isn't the avatars little girl friend are you going to try and challenge me to a duel? I already known who's going to win but I do need practice so you'll do", Azula taunted

Katara then charged after Azula full force shooting spikes after her which she dodged easily then shot lightning at the waterbender who got out of the way just in time and shot a waterwhip in her direction that hit it target. This sent Azula flying a few feet back.

After 10 minutes of non-stop fighting both were getting tired but neither showed any signs of stopping. The walls around them where scorched and worn from Azula's lightning blasts. Katara had just dodged another blast of lightning and was getting tired. She then threw water daggers at the princess who dodged most of them but one got her in her arm and cut into it. Azula hissed in pain as blood began oozing out of the wound then before Katara even had a chance to react the princess shot a bolt of lightning hitting the waterbender in her left leg knocking her down.

The waterbender screamed as the flame came in contact with her flesh and she fell to her knees.

8 minutes later . . .

Both girls were getting very tired but it was Katara who was breathing the heaviest Azula had her on her toes constantly and she was already covered in various burns on her side, legs, and arms but she wouldn't give into the pain she would make Azula pay for all the pain she caused everyone even if it meant fighting to the death. Azula however wasn't as bad off as the waterbender but Katara had inflicted several injuries on the princess.

"Give up waterbender" Azula said coldly "then maybe I'll let you leave with your life".

"NEVER!" was her answer as Katara charged shooting 3 large waterspikes at her opponent, 2 in which missed but one struck Azula in the chest causing her to loose her balance and topple backwards. As the princess stayed stund Katara took this window of opportunity to attack.

2 minutes later Katara had Azula frozen against the back wall. Azula had been beaten badly and was getting dizzy. That's when Katara realized she was out of water _'O shit'_ she thought to herself how was she going to defend herself now that she was out water. Azula noticed the waterbender's vulnerability and melted the ice encasing her and catching Katara completely off guard shot a bolt of lightning at the waterbender hitting her square on in her chest.

Katara screamed as the lightning came in contact with her chest and she flew several feet away slaming into the stone wall.

"Well look who has the upper hand now waterbender and once your gone nothing can stop me from getting that idiotic warrior and blind little rat", she said coldly.

Katara heard her and couldn't, no wouldn't let her hurt her hurt anyone else and despite the pain she gathered the remaining strength she had and began bending the only source of water found her own blood. And as quick as lightning she had Azula knocked down by one of her waterwhips.

As she attacked Azula the only thought that ran through her mind was Aang falling, she saw the twist of pain and fear in his face when Azula shot him down, that thought, Katara' determination, nd Azula's crys of agony drowned out the horrible pain in her chest and the rest of her body. Then a dagger of blood shot through the princess's heart ended her life. At the end Katara's dress was torn up and burned so her once warrior dress now was nothing but a bunch of rags covered in blood. Katara backed away looking at the battle scene everything was a mess and the smell of blood lingered in the air and it made Katara feel suddenly nauseous but the evil princess was gone forever and no longer posed a threat to her and friends and that's all that mattered.

Then as she walked around the corner the worst pain she had ever felt in her life came over her. She then fell to the ground with a groan as she held a hand to the wound on her chest. Her chest felt like it was on fire and se squeezed her eyes shut gasping for air as the pain only intensified. She was so preoccupied with the hurting of her body she didn't hear the call that the firelord was dead. _'I've got to get help' _she thought frantically to herself as she clung to the wall got up on her feet slowly trying very hard to ignore to pain.

As she slowly made her way around the palace court yard limping she observed the total destruction that the battle had brought the fallen lay everywhere and the smell of blood lingered in the air.

**30 minutes later . . . .**

She didn't know how long she had been walking for when the pain in her body seemed to go away, then she thought she heard her father calling her name along with several others they seemed so far away she tried to call to them but found herself to weak to answer. As she turned around her vision became blurry and everything was going black when she squinted her eyes trying to adjust her vision to see who was in front of her she saw 2 firebenders approaching her. She took a few small steps back when legs gave out from under and a tidal wave of darkness swept over her.

I hope you liked this chapter please review so I know what you guys think of it.


	2. Prologue part 2 of 4

Here's the 2nd part to the prologue. There will be 3 parts to the prologue but depending I might have 4.

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Prologue part 2

As the men searched on the palace grounds, Aang, Sokka and Toph searched the mountains surrounding the palace. They had been out searching for almost 2 hrs without any success and the hope of ever finding her again was disappearing fast.

"KATARA"

"KATARA"

Both groups called desperately hoping she would answer but none came.

As the trio scouted the mountains desperately calling and searching for her they knew the odds were against them and judging by what they had seen and heard there was a high possibility they'd never see her again. But both Aang and Sokka reused to give in and believe the fact that she may be gone forever.

"Toph any signs of her?" Sokka asked the earthbender as he search the area frantically.

"Besides you running around everywhere I got nothin", she answered him.

While his friends searched on the ground Aang searched desperately from the sky he had to find her and know if she's alive or otherwise, something he tried hard to not think about but as time past he knew the chances of them finding her alive or even at all was slipping rapidly through his grasp.

After an hour of no success he landed somewhere on the far northern side of palace's courtyard but he didn't care where he was, he was too miserable to think about his location. He had lost all hope of ever finding her. He gave one last desperate call it echoed all around the streets and palace but there was no answer.

"No", he said under his breath falling to his knees and tears fell.

Then he heard a small whisper that was carried by the wind it said "over here'" it seemed to be calling to him. He looked up and stared in the direction the voice was coming from. Then the strange voice called again:

"Over here I'm over here"

He didn't know if he was going delusional and hearing things or he was actually, actually hearing the voice. But he would go to any cost to find Katara, dead or alive he needed to know. So he got up holding his staff in one hand and slowly fallowed the voice, he was curious to find out where it was coming from. He fallowed the it into the far north side of the palace grounds. It grew louder as he got closer.

"Hello is anyone there?" he called out, but no answer came.

That's when he noticed the ground was kind of squishy. He looked down to find it was blood, he suddenly felt sick but then realized there was a trail of blood leading around the corner. He looked around and found this part of the palace had been untouched and the trail of blood was the only thing he found in sight. He walked slowly around the corner to find the trail had ended and the whispering voice had stopped. He stood at the end of the trail and examined his surroundings there was nothing in sight.

"Where's that voice it just disappeared?" he asked himself scratching the back of his head.

He took a step and felt something kind of big under his foot, he lifted it up to find a shoe.

"What the?" he said confused as he picked up the shoe up off the ground and examined it, it was stained with blood and burnt a little bit. He stared at it in utter confusion for a few seconds then realization hit him. His eyes grew wide as he realized whose shoe it was.

"It can't be" he told himself unbelieving "it . . . it is, its Katara's but that mean's . . .".

He didn't finish the sentence because he took off to find the others and to show them what he had found.

**10 minutes later . . .**

Aang returned to the palace to find everyone had come back and it looked like nothing else had turned up.

"Sokka . . . Sokka" Aang cried.

Sokka, who had just moments ago arrived, rushed to the airbender's side.

"What is it Aang?" he asked eagerly "did you find her?"

"No but I found this", Aang told him holding out the bloody burnt shoe for Sokka to see.

"Um Aang"

"Yes Sokka"

"What is it?"

"It's a shoe"

"Yes I can see that but who's and where'd you find it?"

"It's Katara's I found it on the far side of the palace", Aang explained "it was at the end of a trail of blood".

Aang handed it to Sokka who then took it.

"How can you be certain its hers?", Sokka asked suspiciously knowing that Aang could have just picked up any shoe and thought it was Katara's, Aang can be easily fooled like that.

"Well Sokka I can't be all that sure but that weird whispering voice beckoning me to the spot sure was convincing"

Sokka looked at him weirdly then asked him uneasily "You heard voices?".

"Actually there was just one and it told me to follow it and when I found the shoe it stopped"

Sokka then turned his attention back to the shoe. It certainly did look like his sisters but he wasn't all that sure wither or not it was. Then he flipped it upside down so the bottom of the shoe was facing him. He brushed away some of the dry blood to reveal what looked like a blue streak. _'What the' _he thought to himself as he brushed away more blood to reveal what looked like what remained of a watertribe symbol.

He gasped it was hers; he remembered her marking the bottom of each shoe with the symbol of the watertribe before they headed off to battle earlier that day.

Then he turned and ran over to his father followed by Aang who also had noticed the symbol at the time Sokka had reveled it.

"Dad look what Aang found!"

Hakoda turned to find his son holding something

"Sokka what did you guys find?"

"Aang found Katara's shoe" as Sokka said this he held up the shoe, "So there is still a chance she's still alive".

Hakoda sighed and looked down at the torn blood stained shoe and had a strong feeling that his daughter was already dead where ever she might be.

As much as he didn't want to believe it himself he knew that after all that searching and finding no evidence, then her shoe if found torn and bloody he had lost all hope of finding her. He knew from what the soldier had told him he knew things were bad from the start. But he didn't want to believe it himself but now he had to face the reality that she was never coming back. For all they new she could have already died, or most likely been captured by those rebel soldiers and have even worse things happen to her first then they'd kill her.

He sighed then began "Sokka I know you've had your hopes up but I don't think theres anything else that can be done to . . . . .".

**Meanwhile . . .**

By now miles away from the destruction of war hidden in a cave somewhere in the fire nation wilderness a group of 20 or so rebel firebenders held a young unconscious waterbender captive. They had many things in mind for the girl when she finally did wake up; they planned to use her as bait for the avatar after peace had so called been restored to the world in about 4 or so years so that way they'd catch everyone off guard. Also because then they'd really want her back after going all those years thinking she was dead. These men didn't like the idea of having to get along with all the other nations of the world, they still believed the fire nation was the supreme nation and all the other nations were obsolete and should bow down before there nation.

**Back at the palace later that night. . .**

After a long talk with Sokka, Hakoda had finally convinced his son there was nothing left that could be done to find Katara. Now Sokka sat by himself in his room in the palace, mopping around. He just couldn't give in to the fact that his little sister was gone forever out of his life. In all his life and time they spent traveling together helping Aang on his quest to save the world he had never thought it would have ended like this. Him losing the person he was the most close to, the person who was always there for him even when times were hard.

However just down the hall there was another taking the loss just as bad as he.

Aang was having a very hard time trying to convincing himself that she was gone. Katara had always been so strong and it seemed just impossible that it would have come down too this. But here he was sitting on his bed crying over Katara's "_death". _He loved her and always would no matter if she was dead, he'd never love another like he had and still did her.

Just then he heard someone knock on the door. He was pulled out of his thoughts and wiping the tears from his eyes he looked up and told the person to come in. It was one of the royal messengers.

"Hello Avatar Aang I've been sent by Iroh he sent me to remind you of the crowning ceremony tomorrow for his nephew prince Zuko".

"Thank you sir" Aang told the man bowing, the messenger then bowed and left.

"The crowning ceremony I almost forgot" Aang said to himself absentmindedly

'_Tomorrow the fire nation has a new and hopefully better firelord that can restore balance to the nation' _he thought feeling a little better.

**The following day in a secret underground hide out . . . **

Katara awoke in a small metal cage suspended from the ground, the next morning. As she began to regain consciousness pain hit her at once. She groaned in pain turning to her side trying to make the pain go away but it didn't. She opened her eyes slowly to find everything was dark there was no light anywhere; she tried to sit up but found it too painful. Katara let out a small cry as she lied back down again.

As she laid on her back she wondered 'Where am I?'.

Suddenly, the place on her chest where Azula had struck her began to hurt, badly.

She clung to her chest with both hands and began gasping. Katara rolled over to her left side and pulled her legs up to her chest, without letting go. It felt like it was on fire. A whimper escaped her lips as her entire body shook with immense pain, and before she knew it tears came pouring out. She lied alone in the dark room sobbing for what felt like hours when in reality had only been 5 minutes when footsteps could be heard approaching her cage.

Her crying died down just a little bit and she grabbed the bars on the far corner of the cage and pulled herself up to a sitting position. She looked around frantically, tears still streaming down her face, but saw nothing just the empty darkness, but she remained quiet leaning against the bars. The footsteps came closer and closer, each step echoed throughout the quiet room.

Fear flooded the girl, she had no idea where she was, it was dark, and someone was coming closer every second but she couldn't see any light anywhere. Then the footsteps stopped and she thought she saw the glow of light on the bars of the cage. Then she turned around slowly to face a tall muscular firebender.

She screamed in surprise and scooted back as fast and as far as she could, ignoring the intense pain it caused her, in the cage before she fell back. She then looked over to the man standing on the far side of the cage, her was tall much taller than her that's for sure and in the faint glow of the fire he had created for light, could barely make-out his facial features.

"Well, well looks like young lady has finally decided to wake up", he said in a way that sent a chill up her spine, she knew this man was one she'd have to watch out for.

"Where am I?"

"That is something for me to know and you to not know", the firebender told her.

"But why I'm your prisoner shouldn't I at least know where I am?" she asked him timidly.

"For a girl you sure ask a lot of obvious questions"

Katara sat there, more like leaning on her hands to support herself as she stared blankly at the man. As he said this she thought to herself angrily _'A lot of obvious questions huh? or maybe your nothing but a big fat, lying son of . . . .'_.

But her thoughts were interrupted when she felt eyes on her she looked over to see the firebender was staring at her, just staring. She shifted where she sat uncomfortably; O how she wished one of her friends were there with her so she wouldn't feel so lonesome and scared. But they weren't, they probably had no idea were she was, and for all she knew they probably thought she was already dead. Now as she sat there to weak to stand, let alone defend herself, at the mercy of some rebel firebender in a cave hideout somewhere in the firenation, she suddenly felt panic stricken.

"You know you really are a very pretty specimen"

As he said this he gripped one of the bars of her cage. Panic soon turned to fear as she stared at him with wide eyes. She backed up and pressed herself as far she could go into the opposite side of the cage and didn't take her eyes off of him for a second. Her eyes showed nothing but fear. Then the firebender began to laugh at her reaction and as he walked away he said something under is breath that Katara couldn't hear. When he walked around the corner the only source of light in room was gone and it went back to being all black.

Katara broke down sobbing at the thought of what her fate had in store for her.

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What's going to become of Katara read to find out 

Please Review


	3. Prologue part 3 of 4

Alright here's a new chapter! and sorry for not submitting for a very long time something went wrong with my computer and it wouldn't let me type anything. I've been rewriting and adding and editing things and finally its done. Also this particular chapter in my opinion was the hardest for me to write, due to some of the material in it that I normally don't write about, even if I don't go really into much depth.

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Prologue Part 3

It had been a 2 months since Zuko had been crowned firelord and since Katara was captured. With the help of his royal assistant Iroh, the new firelord and his wife, lady Mai, had managed to maintain peace in his nation after 100 yrs of power.

Sokka had returned to the southern watertribe with his father to find instead of an ice block, a city in progress, of course with the help Pakku and the other waterbenders. There had been a blissful reunion with the men and there families.

Kana after greeting her grandson and son in law noticed Katara wasn't among them.

"Where's Katara?" Kana asked anxious to see her granddaughter again after all those months.

For a moment no one said anything and an uneasy silence filled the air. Hakoda then looked at his son to see Sokka had looked away sadly, he turned to Kana and told her sadly:

"Katara's gone she didn't survive the battle"

Despite Katara's _"death" _life went on smoothly for Sokka even though he still had doubts and still refused to believe it but kept quite about it.

Toph had reluctantly decided to return home to see her family in Gaoling. There was a happy reunion between daughter and parents. She was sad to see Sokka had to leave so soon after arrival because he was the only friend she had with her at the time. Katara was gone and Aang in the fire nation.

"Do you have to leave so soon we just got here?" Toph asked trying hard to hide her disappointment.

Sokka sighed.

"Toph you know I have to go back to the southern watertribe with my father"

"I know"

Even though she had explained to her parents why she left and that she was just as capable of taking care of herself as others her age, her father still viewed her as the small helpless child. Her mother however let her do as she wished as long it was reasonable and took the heat from her father later, as she knew her daughter is strong and could take care of herself.

Aang had to stay in the firenation and help Zuko bring peace back to the firenation and prevent another war from happening. Ever since his friends had left he was very lonely, he often stared up at the night sky and thought about Katara. He missed her so much and didn't give up hope, he believed that where ever she was, she was alive, he just knew it. But the question was where? He knew she was somewhere in the firenation and he hoped where ever she was, she was OK.

"Katara where ever you are I hope your OK and don't worry I'll find you, where ever you maybe" the young airbender said to himself sadly as he sat on one of the roofs at the palace, as he did almost every night if he wasn't too tired from the days events.

"I promise"

Everyday seemed to drag on forever, in an endless stream of boredom, having to attend meeting, after meeting, after meeting he wanted so badly to get out of there but he knew it was his duty as the avatar to restore balance to the world.

As for Katara life couldn't get any more miserable. She sat in a small cage all day long and drifted in and out of consciousness and didn't even know whether it was day or night. But during those times she was awake she spent them wondering about her friends and family and how they were doing and what they were doing as she sat there miserable as can be. She hoped they were all fine and alive.

"I wonder how Aang is doing?", she wondered one day.

"O who am I kiddin' he probably thinks I'm dead", she said somberly as she sat leaning against the bars, holding onto the bars with one hand to hold herself up, and pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped one arm around them.

_'No everyone probably thinks I'm dead'_, she thought miserably and let out a loud groan and buried her head in her knees.

But today Katara sat in her caged cell trying very hard to keep cool but no matter how much she tried she just couldn't. It was very hot and humid in the cave that day and it was days like this that drained her of her strength even more. She was getting extremely thin, it wasn't that she wasn't given much it was just she wouldn't eat what she was given or as she would call it "Junk". Which in some sense it really was and since it was so dark she couldn't even see what she was eating until she actually tried it.

"Here's your lunch girl", one of the firebenders said as he dropped her bowl of food down and walked away.

From the far corner of the cage Katara watched as the glowing of the fire grew fainter and fainter until it was entirely swallowed up in darkness, and she could no longer hear the retreating footsteps. Then got on her hands and knees and slowly made her way to the bowl feeling the way with her hands.

When she felt her left hand bump against the bowl she them picked up a piece of the food, it felt somewhat warm and lumpy like, she could only guess what it was, and put it in her mouth. But no sooner did she stick in her mouth she spit it back out quickly for it tasted so awful she couldn't even describe it.

Most of her burns were healing according but very slowly and it caused her immense pain to do the simple task of sitting up. While others like the wound on her chest and side where appearing to get infected since she had no proper care for them and that wasn't even the worst of things, she now had many cuts and bruises on her back and other places on her body. This is after being yanked out of the cell and thrown against the wall of the cave and beaten after she had been caught, a month go, trying to heal herself with some of her drinking water. Due to that incident she didn't even have the strength to sit up with the help of he bars for 4-5 weeks and even now she was still getting her strength back.

Katara gave a yelp of pain as she slammed against the wall, and fell face first into the dirt floor. She got up slowly and looked up weakly to see the man approaching her. She stared at him her eyes showed nothing but fear, she tried frantically to get up but her legs burned and her body ached and she fell back down with a thud. Then the next thing she knew she was thrusted against the wall hard, she screamed as something hard and thick struck her on her side.

Within a few minutes her sides felt like they were on fire and hot painful tears ran down the sides of her face and she was crying uncontrollably. She tried hard to not, but the pain was just to much to bare.

"Pp..ple.ase stt..op..." she pleaded chocking on every syllable.

The man just laughed and threw another blow but this time into her back. Katara fell to the ground with a thud sobbing and coughing up a little bit of blood. She did't dare look up she just laid there bracing herself for another blow that came just as hard as the last one, and she screamed.

As each painful blow came she wished it would just end right then and there because this was just too much to bare. But that was only the beginning of a long torturous night.

Now she keeps herself on the opposite side of the cage and doesn't take her eyes off of the firebender until they left the room. For she fears she may never survive and get out of this place if she suffers another beating like that.

As she lay there on her side trying desperately to keep cool like fanning herself with two hands, or tossing and turning as she was lying down. She groaned the heat was getting to her and she was thirsty, she tried licking her lips trying to get moisture into her mouth but that failed miserably. Just then she heard footsteps and she pushed herself up against the bars of the cage on the opposite side they were coming from. She pulled herself up to a sitting position, with some effort, and held onto the bars of the cage too keep herself up and stared in the direction of the footsteps.

Then as suddenly as they came they stopped and she heard other footsteps approaching then they stopped as well.

She then thought she heard voices.

So she released her grip on the bars and quietly made her way over to the other side of the cage and listened.

" . . . . Sir she'll be dead by that time she can barely even support herself now"

"What are you getting at?"

"What I'm saying is I think we should just take the girl and use her to get hat we want now since she's the avatars girlfriend in all, I'm sure we'll have no problem with. . ."

Katara gasped.

So they were going to use her to get to Aang. No she wouldn't let that happen! She had do something but what? She was too weak to make a run for it, but when she looked at all the other options, that was her only real choice. But how was she going to get out?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard footsteps walking in her direction and as they neared the corner she saw a faint glint of orange red light coming closer and closer.

Panic stricken and fearful she retreated to the far side of the cage and once gain pulled herself to sitting position. With just a little more effort because she was getting tired and the heat wasn't helping, and stared at the fast approaching light.

Little did she know things were about to get much worse.

She watch the glow become brighter and brighter until finally the guard was right in front of the cage. He was just staring at her and didn't say anything, Katara got a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach. Finally he spoke in a way that make her feel very uncomfortable "Well, well arn't you a cute little thing" and she saw him reach into his pocket.

At this Katara's eyes widened and her grip on the bar tightened, and she became very fearful, her mind racing. She knew what the intentions were and she knew there was no way she could stop him for she was to weak and exhausted from the unbearable heat.

_'This can't be happening, this can't be happening'_

He opened the door to the cage and Katara, who let out a whimper, pushed herself closer into the corner, gripping the bars so hard her knuckles turned white and cowered in fear, wishing she would just disappear.

**3 hrs later . . . .**

Katara lay at the bottom of the cage shaking all over. She was had been traumatized and was whimpering as images flashed into her mind of the previous event. Her faced stained from fallen tears that were still falling and everything hurt much worse than before. After a while of gathering her thoughts and crying excessively did she actually think straight. Exhausted from the heat she sprawled out at the bottom of the cage because she wanted to gain as much as she could.

For she was going to make her escape, her mind raced as she thought of a plan to get out, she had to, she couldn't stand it anymore and what had taken place not very long ago made her think faster.

'_I've got to get out of here' _she thought desperately _'but how?'_

Then she came up with an idea.

When the guard came to check on her she'd have to do what she promised herself she'd never do in a million years but due to her predicament she'd have to. She was going to have to _"bloodbend" _to get out. The thought of using such an art sickened her to no end but to get out she had no other choice.

But was there a full moon outside tonight? Or was it even night time? Was it during the day?

Well she was going to find out and if nothing happened she'd wait until later then tomorrow and so on and so forth. Then once she was out of the cage she was going to have to try and stand up and walk which she knew would be no easy task but she'd have to, to get around the cave and get herself out.

Just then the sound of footsteps could be heard approaching and the faint red glow began to appear as well and Katara got ready.

This one was a different soldier and looked somewhat younger than the rest, but to Katara made him all the more evil. She then concentrated real hard and raised her left hand. The footsteps had stopped and everything was dead silent so she looked up to find the firebender frozen where he stood fear stricken.

_'Wow it actually worked'_ she thought herself in amazement as she forced him to unlock the door to the cell.

As she opened the door of the cage she forced the man to lay face first in the ground. Then she slipped out of the cage. Her legs fell underneath her as she reached the floor in one big heap and pain shot through her body. She gasped and got up and grabbed the bottom of the cage and pulled herself up with great effort. Once she was on both legs she slowly, but pain stakenly, made her way to the door.

Just then she heard the firebender groan indicating her was trying too get up. So she raised her hand then made him slam back down again.

As she looked around the corner noticed there was nothing in sight nothing but darkness not a single flame glowing.

_'Where is everyone?'_ she wondered then shook it of when she realized it made her escape all the more easier.

So she continued feeling her way through the cave and bumping into a wall from time and time again. That is until a small glimpse of light could be seen then it disappeared as suddenly as it came. Soon to be followed by a roar of thunder.

_'Great a thunder storm'_ she thought miserably as she carefully made her way to the exit.

As Katara looked out of the cave entrance all she saw was freedom even though it was a miserable night. It was pouring outside and thunder roared echoing through the cave and thunder clashed lighting up the forest and the sky. She then without taking a second glance hurried off. Wincing when her chest began to burn and throb terribly. She clutched her chest and stopped for a moment and quickened her step when she heard voices.

As she hurried through the woods soaked and cold she heard a rustling sound from the bushes. She turned to face the noise and saw the glimpse of armor. Her eyes wide and took off. As she made her way through the woods the sounds of footsteps could be heard along with the breaking of twigs and branches.

_'O great they found me, come on I've got to move faster'_, she thought to herself desperately as she moved branches out of her way. She hurried as fast as she could through the forest, limping, stumbling and tripping over roots, due to the slippery ground.

Every time she fell pain shot threw her and her chest hurt badly but despite the pain she pressed on. The sound of thunder rumbled in the background and rain pelted her and her pursuers. The full moon showed brightly through the clouds and covered the forest in a golden silver silhouette. Suddenly she found herself staring down at the bottom of a cliff that emptied out into the ocean. The waves crashing into the rocky cliff side viciously. She panicked and turned around and found one of the firebenders had reached her and was speed walking in her direction she backed up a little bit . . . .

and slipped.

Alright a major cliffhanger!

Please review


	4. Prologue part 4 of 4

Alright its finally done the final part of the prologue and now the real chapters can begin. Sorry this took so long to write I've been writing, deleting, adding, well ou get the picture so anyway here it is.

Enjoy!

* * *

Thunder clashed and lighting struck lighting up the sky as the ground gave out from under her.

Katara screamed as she plumited into the rough sea below. She landed with a splash, the water was freezing cold and it made her flinch on contact, Katara was terrified and once she remembered where she was struggled to reach the surface. Her arms flailed in the air in an attenpt to stay above, never had she thought she would ever fear her own element, but she was too weak to bend or even support herself.

"HELP!" Katara cried but her cry was drowned out by the thunder and suddenly a huge wave crashed down on her. She screamed as she was carried under and struggled to reach the surface. Katara burst above, coughing and gasping for air. She was being carried out to sea and was losing her strength rapidly.

She could barly stay a float now.

When she was about half a mile away from shore a big wave took her under. She struggled to get up, her mind racing, but no matter how hard she tried she just couldn't reach the surface. She felt her body go numb and she stopped moving she was too exahausted to go on any further.

Then an image of her family and friends and all they worked to accomplish gave her the strength to go on. If she died now she'd never see them again. So once more using all her strength surfaced and from a glimse she saw what looked like a floating piece of wood. Gathering the remaining strength swam over to the board and clung on for dear life. She was getting tired and began to drift unconious and before she knew it everything went black.

**A day or so later . . . .**

It was a bright and sunny morning in a small village on the outskirts of the Earthkingdom. Everyone was in a great mood, and ever since the war had ended several months ago people where going on with there everyday lives.

Koko, Lea, and Ji where running through the forest having fun, little did they know how there lives where about to change forever.

Koko's 5 1/2 yrs old and is tall for her age reaching about 3 or 4 1/2 feet and always loves to boss her other siblings around she uses the excuse of shes the oldest. She also watches out for them and makes sure they don't get themselves hurt or into trouble. She has light brown hair, pale skin and green- blue eyes.

Lea's 4 yrs old and is short and plump. Her favorite thing to do is eat, she'll eat anything you put infront of her. She also is very adventurous and is a dare devil. Born with a mental disability and is very slow, she often does stupid and dangerous things repeativly before she realizes there bad like sticking her hand into the fire pit when its lit. She has dirty blonde hair, pale skin and brown eyes.

Ji's 4 1/2 yrs old and is short and skinny, he is a none stop ball of energy and doesn't know when to stop. He is normally the person who enjoys torturing himself and laugh at pain, like running into the wall full speed, even though on some occasions does he cry. He has sandy red hair, light brown skin, and blueish brown eyes, he is also the only boy.

Ji, Koko, and Lea have 5 other siblings all younger than them. Theres the twins Anata and Ula, there both 3, and Hea who's 1yr old, Mei who's 4 months old, then theres Kisa whose 1 1/2 yrs old.

"Your so slow, Lea", Koko teased as she and Ji ran side by side threw the forest.

"Ya, Lea", Ji interjected laughing.

Lea followed behind huffing and puffing.

"So what, I love to eat, its apart of who I am", Lea replied proudly.

a few minutes of running both Ji and Koko stopped and waited for Lea to catch up.

"I have an idea lets race to the beach", Ji suggested happily pointing in the direction of the beach.

"I don't know Ji mother's probrably getting worried . . .".

"Aww come on Koko stop being such a party pooper", Lea teased and began running, followed by Ji over, to the beach.

"Wha?... HEY WAIT UP!", Koko cried as she ran after her siblings.

**At the beach . . . .**

Koko had finally caught up with the others but saw they had stopped dead in there tracks and where starring at something.

"Guys wha .. " Koko began but turned to see what they were looking at. She stared shocked at a figure that had washed up on the beach. It appeared to be a person.

Curious she began to walk down over to the body to get a better look Ji and Lea followed closely behind.

"Hey Koko who is that?", Lea asked staring at the person who was lying on face down on the sand.

"How in the world should I know" Koko replied as she bent over to get a better look at the person. She saw that they wore barley any clothing and there arms and legs were covered in burns, cuts and bruises.

"Hey that person looks like a girl", Lea said.

"Wow you just noticed", Ji said sarcastically.

"Guys lets go get mom, she'll know what to do", Koko told the others as she backe away from the girl.

"But Koko we can't just leave her here by herself, what if she's swept off to sea again?", Ji asked worried.

"What else is there to do Ji?", Lea ased her brother curiously.

"Well one of use can go get mama and the other two stays here with the girl", Ji replied.

"OK then", Koko began looking at the other two before continuing, "you and Lea stay here and I'll go get mom"

"Alright then"

With that Koko ran off to her find her mother. She found her inside the house and her Aunt Chi was there to.

Koko's mother saw her daughter and looked very upset.

"Koko where have you been?", her mother asked angrily.

"I was just playing in the forest with Ji and Lea", Koko said innnocently.

Her mother sighed "Koko what have I told about going into the woods it dangerous" her mother scolded then asked "Where's your brother and sister?".

"O there at the beach"

"WHAT!" her mother cried "What have I told you guys about going down there you know one of you could get swept to sea!".

"But mom, there there to make sure that strange girl doesn't get swept out to sea while I came to get you", Koko explained quickly.

At hearing this her mothers face changed to concern and Aunt Chi stopped sipping her tea to listen.

"What girl?"

"Me and the others found her she washed up on the beach and is hurt real bad"

After hearing this her mother turned to Aunt Chi and asked "can you watch the others while I'm gone?"

"No problem", was her anwser.

Turnin back to her daughter said, "Alright show me the way"

**Back the beach . .**

"Where do you think she came from Ji?", Lea asked as she sat staring at the girl.

"I don't now?", Ji replied as he inspected her more.

Just then Koko and there mother burst into the clearing.

"See there she is mama, that girl I told you about" Koko cried excitedly pointing to the girl lying on the sand.

Koko's mother looked and stared shocked at what she saw, th en quickened her pace and stopped infront of the girl and knelt down.

Ambika brushed the girls hair away from her face and looked at the girl's face. It was bruised and had a few scratches her and there. She did have to admitt then that the girl was very pretty and wondered if she had a boyfriend somewhere. But pushed this thought a side as she turned her around onto her back. She noticed right away her scortched, worn and torn dress. Her eyes then fell to a huge burn on the center of the girl's chest.

She gasped.

Ambika then placed a hand on the girls chest to see if she was breathing. The second she placed her hand on the the burn the girl flinched.

Turning to her children and ordered "Go get Aunt Chi now".

Ji and Koko ran off to find Aunt Chi but Lea stayed.

"But mommy is she going to be alright?", Lea asked concerned.

"I honestly don't know honey", she told her daughter solemly as she looked at the girl in her arms with worried eyes. From what she could see the girl was in need of urgent medical care. She had no idea how long the girl had been like this and doughted she would even survive the next few days.

A few minutes later Koko and Ji arrived with there Aunt.

"My goodness Ambika what is going on here", Aunt Chi asked. She then walked over to her sister and stood next to her. she looked down and stared shocked at the beaten up girl in her sisters arms.

"My goodness what happened to her?", Aunt Chi asked shocked.

"I don't know but I do know she needs help", Ambika said as she looked at the girl.

Then Lia noticed something around the girls neck.

"Mama whats that on her necklace", Lea asked curiously pointing to the girls neck.

Her mother and Aunt looked down and stared at the symbol on on the necklace.

"The symbol of the watertribe but the water tribes are thousands of mile away on either sides", Aunt Chi said shocked.

"The what?", Lea asked curiously.

"Its a watertribe symbol dear she must be from one of the water tribes" her mother explained.

"Whats that mama?"

"I'll explain later", her mother told her as she slowly and carefully lifted the girl up and began walking back towards the house. Followed by Aunt Chi who told the children to follow.

**A few minutes later. . .**

The group had arrived back at the house and Ambika placed the girl onto an extra bed in the guest room.

Aunt Chi told the children to stay out and closed the door behind her and walked over to the bed.

"Where do you think she came from? the watertribe my goodness if she did she sure came a long way." she asked curiously.

"I don't know we'll have to asked her when she wakes up"

"Go get me some bangages, a towel, and a new robe", Ambika told her sister as she slowly began to remove the girls clothing.

Aunt Chi obeyed and went off in search of the things needed.

Ambika carfully removed the girls robe and chest strap to reviel the full extent of the injury on her chest. A huge red and black burn that lay in the center of her chest. Ambika stared horrified at the injury wondering how on earth someone could have survived such and injury. She then finished undressing the girl until she was only in in her undergarments.

She then examined the rest of the girls body to find it was just as bad. The girl's arms and legs where covered with various burns, cuts, and black and blue bruises. Her sides were badly bruised and her back was just horriifiing. it was literaly black and blue covered with in bruises, cuts and burns.

Just then Aunt Chi arrived with the supplise reguested.and nearly dropped them when she saw the girls beaten body.

"My goodness who could have done such a thing", Aunt Chi asked horrified.

"No doubt firebenders" Ambika said disgusted. Even though the war had ended many people still disliked the firenation and Ambika's family definatly wasn't no exception. No one in her family would ever forgive the firenation after they had burned down there town 5 yrs ago.

"But what would a group of worthless firebenders want with a little girl?" Aunt Chi asked.

"I really don't believe I have to explain that one" Ambika said plainly giving her sister a _'you've got to be kidding me'_ kind of look

"O" Aunt Chi said once she got the message then asked curiously "but I still wonder how long she has been like this I mean some of those injuries look a few months old".

"I don't know but I doubt she'll live a few days and it'll be a merical if she even lives at all", Ambika said as she dipped the towel in the bucket of water and began to clean the burn on the girl chest. The girl let out a a groan of pain and shifted a little bit uncomfortably.

"Ambika I think shes waking up", Aunt Chi said and the two sisters watched as the girl's eyes opened slowly.

The girl stared at them for a few moments then asked in a weak voice.

"Where am I?"

"You are in my home in the Earthkingdom dear" Ambika told her gently then explained " my children found you, you had washed up on the shore".

The girl nodded slowly. Suddenly her entire body to hurt, badly. She gave a cry and clung to her chest, tears began to flow and curled into a ball, she didn't even notice she wore nothing on top or barely anything at all. She then broke into a coughing fit.

"Whats wrong?", Aunt Chi asked worried as the girl lay there coughing and clearly in pain.

"It hurts . . . so much", was all she could get out as she squeezed her eyes shut and grinding her teeth together trying real hard not to scream. Everytime she coughed her body would shake uncontrolably.

"Mama whats going on in there?", they heard Ji asked in the background as he knocked on the door.

"Cilia go tell those kids to stay away from the door", Ambika told her sister then turned her attention to the girl.

"Its Ok now, try to calm down ..now tell me what hurts", Ambika asked gently as she brushed hair out of the girls face.

"Everything", the girl replied choking on tears.

**A few minute later . . .**

Ambika had managed to calm the girl down long enough to clean out her wounds and bandage her up, and now she lay asleep.

Ambika came out of the room and sighed.

"How is she?", Aunt Cillia asked. Ambika looked over to her and replied "Well I can tell you she's finally asleep, and she's obviously in a lot of pain".

Just then Ji, Koko and Lea came walked round the corner and saw that there mother was out of the room.

"Mama, mama", they cried and ran over to her.

"Who is she Mommy?" Koko asked curiously.

Next Ji asked "Where did she come from?"

Then Lea asked worried "Is she Ok?"

"Children one at a time" the mother told them raising one hand and the three children became silent.

"Alright,", she began "I don't know who she is or where she came from but.. .". She was cut off by Lea who said "But you said she's from one of the watertribes and what is the watertribe anyway?".

"Lea I can't be sure she's from the watertribe"

"But mommy what about her necklace?", Koko asked.

"Just because she's wearing the symbol of the watertribe doesn't mean she is"

"Mommy?"

"Yes Lea"

"What is the watertribe?"

"The Watertribe is one of the four nations of our world", her mother explained "You see theres the Firenation, Watertribe, Air nation and the nation where from the Earthkingdom. As you know the war with the firenation ended 2 months ago when Avatar Aang defeated there leader Firelord Ozai. Now they have a new leader Firelord Zuko who with the help of Avatar Aang run the nation and in doing so restored peace to the world. The Air Nomads are now all gone except for Avatar Aang and a few remaining decendents that live scattered throughout the Earthkingdom and the Fire Nation. They were discovered by Avatar Aang and his friend's Sokka, Toph, Katara, Haru, Teo, Duke, and Zuko. This is after 100 yrs ago Firelord Sozin attacked the airtemples where they lived and killed them all. Now the members of the Watetribes live on 2 opposite sides of the world the North and the South pole few waterbenders remain today after Sozin launched an attack on the Southern watertribe and captured all there waterbenders".

The children listened intentivly to everything there mother told them and after she finished Lea asked "But why would the firenation want to kill the air nomads and waterbenders?".

Ambika sighed this was going to be a long night.

**An Hour later . . . . **

"DADDY!" cried Ji, Lea, Koko, Ula and Anata as they all ran over to him and he embraced them all in a hug,

"Daddy guess what we found on the beach today?", cried a very excited Lea bouncinng up and down.

"What did you guys find?", he asked chuckling thinking they had found somesort of shell or washed up item on the beach. But the answer he got was none to be expected.

"We found a girl, she had washed up on the beach", Ji told him excitedly.

"Yeah Daddy we did and mama told us we saved her life too" Koko explained "O' and she's very pretty too".

At hearing this there father became very serious and looked up to see his wife at the doorway and she nodded.

"Where is she?"

"In the spare room. .. come on I'll show you", Ambika said and turned and began walking away her husbandfollowed. Once they were inside the room she showed her husband to the bed and showed him the girl.

"What happened?", he asked concerned watching the girls chest rise and fall as slept.

"I really can't say my guess is she had been captured starved and beaten. Then she got sick of it and somehow got away and somehow got carried out to sea ", Ambika explained then continued, "Koko came running in earlier today saying something about a girl who had washed up on the shore. I was sceptical at first but once I saw her I knew what she told me was true. So I brought her back here and removed her torn robe and let me tell you I was appsolutly shocked at what lied underneath. Fresh cuts, and bruises, infected wounds that looked a few months old or so. Then black and blue bruises covering her back, sides arms and legs. Then she had this emormous burn on her chest that was infected, there was black dead skin surrounding it. I really can't describe how bad it is unless you see it for yourself, but I don't want to desturb her".

Li listened closly to everything she told him and when his wife had finished talking he asked her "Where do you suppose she came from?".

"I can't be sure but she's wearing a neclace with the symbol of the watertribe on it and many of her characteristcs resembols that of the watertibe. Light brown skin, burnette hair and deep blue eyes", Ambika told him then turned and asked him "Do you think we can keep her I mean if she has no place to go?".

"Now Ambika don't get a head of yourself we barely know anything about this girl and besides we already have 7 children how will we be able to support another?", Li asked her.

"I don't know how but we'll find a way if we have to because I don't have the heart to send her away to one of those orphanages. You know how they treat the kids there" She sighed "Besides she could be a big help in helping me take care of the children. I do need someone to help take me take care of the farm while your gone and Koko and Fionso are to young to do most of the work".

"I don't know I'll think about it", Li told his wife.

**The following morning . . .**

The girl woke up the next day to the sound of a chicken pig crowing.

She groaned as she slowly opened her eyes and looked around. Light showed through a window above her head and everything was green and there was an earthkingdom symbol on the tapestry that hung on the wall.

She tried to sit then fell back down as intense pain shot threw her back. She let out a groaned in pain.

Then the door suddenly cracked open and a women dressed in a green robe with dark brown hair and brown eyes stepped in.

"Well it seems you've woken up", the lady said cheerfully then asked gently "How are you feeling?".

"Like I've been hit by a ton of bricks" the girl replied rubbing the side of her head. She looked around and asked timidly "Um where am I?".

"Why you are in my home in the Earthkingdom", the lady explained "my children found you, you had washed up on the beach".

"O" was all she could manage to say then tried to sit up once more.

The lady walked over and placed her gently backdown again then told her gently "I don't think you should try sitting up for a while your in pretty bad shape".

The girl nodded then asked curuiously "What is your name anyway?".

"My we were never propraly introduced were we", the lady said.

"My name's Ambika", she said introducing herself "and whats your name dear?", Ambika asked her gently.

_'O no I don't even know my own name'_, the girl thought miserably.

"I.can't remember", she replied sadly looking away.

Ambika looked like that didn't supprised her then she asked her, "Well then do you know how old you are".

"14"

"Can you tell me where you came from?".

"No not that I can remember", the girl said sighing then somethng hit her.

"O wait now I remember somewhere in the firenation."

"Are your sure the firenation?" Ambika asked her.

"Yes I was held captive there for some reason or another the cause I'm not quite sure", the girl repied rubbing her eys then added "But I think it was to use me for bait or something really important"..

Ambika wasn't sure if that was entirely true because the firenaation was a long ways away and it seemed nearly impossible thsat she could have survived for that long..

"Well then you must have a name and sense you can't remember your real name why not come up with one for the time being", Ambika suggested changing the topic.

"I never really thought of that but I really don't have any idea", the girl told her.

"Well then why not Thalassa", Ambika suggested.

"Wha..?"

"Thalassa it means from the sea and sense you came from the sea its seems like a perfect fit what do you think?"

She pondered on it for a few seconds before saying happily "I like it".

"Ok its Thalassa then" Ambika said smilling.

Thalassa liked this lady right away.

**3 weeks later. . . . **

Thalassa was making a slow but steady recovery and no longer was so skinny her ribs showed and her face wasn't as thin as before, she was gaining some weight and color was reutrning to her face so it wasn't so pale which was a good sign to Ambika and her husband Li. But her wounds were slow in recovering and many would stay scars like the major burns, like on her chest and some on her arms, legs and back. Almost all of her bruises where gone and most of her cuts had healed. Thalassa couldn't remember a time when her body no longer ached and burned from her many serious injuries. To Ambika's relief and Li's the huge burn on her chest was now healing and was no longer infected.

Over the past week Aunt Cillia came over and Ambika take care of the children since the extra help was needed.

Thalassa woke up one morning to the sound of the chicken pig crowing. She opened her eyes and yawned and looked around. Then she realized her headache was gone and she was glad too because that made staying awake ulmost unbearable. For for the last week or so she had gotten sick from her infected wounds and she could barely eat or sleep. She couldn't even tell reality from dreams. But luckily she was better.

Thalassa tried to sit up and managed to with just a little bit of pain shooting threw her back but she ignored it she had experienced worse over the past weeks. As she sat there blankets pulled up to her waist, looking around, then decided she should attempt walking. So she swung her legs over to the side of the bed and pushed herself off.

She wobbled a little bit and grabbed the head stand on the bed and held herself up.

"I guess I haven't done this for a while", she said to herself.

Once she had gotten a sturdy footing she began to walk around her room holding onto the furniture and after a few minutes she let go of the furniture and tried walking by herself. She stumbled a few times but finally was able to walk semi balanced around the room, occasionally grabbing onto something when she thought she would fall.

Then she desided to go exploring and find out what Ambika and Li's home looked like.

The door opened with creek as Thalassa pushed open the door and looked outside and found a small hallway. It was simple like but Thalassa liked it.

_'Pretty_' she thought to herself as she walked down the hallway. Just then she heard running and laughter. She saw figures approaching and she watched and stared when she saw 2 little kids come running around the corner. They saw her and stopped and stared at her.

"Hello" Thalassa said to the two children.

The childrens faces of shock soon changed to happiness. One looked like she was going to say something when Ambika came around the corner.

"Lea and Ji how many times have I told you not to . . ." she stopped mid sentence when she saw Thalassa.

"Thalassa what are you doing out of bed", Ambika asked her worried.

"Well my headaches gone and I feel a lot better now so I decided to go exploring"

Ambika sighed. She then lookd up at Thalassa and smiled.

"Well since you seem to be able to walk and your say you fell much better then why not . . . come on I'l show you the rest of the house".

Thalassa smiled and followed her willingly.

* * *

Alright first off if some of you are confused Ambika is the mother and Cillia is Aunt Chi.

Names and Meanings:

Ambika is Hindi for_ "A Mother"._

Li is Chinese for_ "Strength"._

Thalassa is Greek for _"From the Sea"._

Anata is Babylonian for the _"Goddess of the Earth"._

Ula is Celtic for _"Jewel of the Sea"._

Hea is Korean for _"Grace"._

Kisa is Russian for _"Kitty"._

Lea is Hebrew_ for "Weary"._

Koko is Japanese for _"Stork"_ and Native American for _"Night"_

Ji is Chinese for_ "Order and Continuity"._

Alright this is the end of the Prologue and the actual story can begin.

Please Review


	5. Chapter 1: Life's Adventures

Alright here's Chapter 1!

Enjoy!

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Chapter 1: Life's Adventures

It was a quiet evening in the fire nation and Aang was sitting ontop of the balcony in the palace that over looked the courtyard. He stared sadly at the sunset as it lit up the sky with the colors orange, pink, red, yellow, and blue. he didn't see or hear the firelord approach him.

"Aang . . . Aang . . ." Zuko said trying to get Aang's attention but it was failing. He sighed and waved his hand infront of the Avatars face "Hey earth to avatar!".

"Huh" he said as he was snapped out of his trance and turned to find the firelord.

"O hey Zuko is there anything that I can do?"

"Aang is there any particular reason why your spacing out like that?" He asked him.

"O I was just thinking"

"About what?"

"No particular reason" Aang sighed as he stared out back at the sky. Aang hadn't really changed over the last few months except that he was now a full blown teenager of 13 yrs old and he had grown a few inches and was now 5" 8'. He still look just like a child and his voice hadn't changed at all and was still high and child like.

Zuko then sighed "I was just wondering why are your so upset when your friends are on there way here as we speak".

Aang didn't say anthing for a few seconds before saying sadly "not all of them". Zuko really didn't know the right thing to say he knew exactly who the young avatar was refurring to that watertribe girl, Katara. They had never found her body so her death never really had been confermed and that had taken a maotoll on practically everyone especially Aang, Sokka and Toph. Ever since Katara's _"death"_ 8 months ago no one ever really spoke of her for it was just too painful especially for Aang. But if they did it was on a rare occasion and it was normally very short and very emotional.

Just then Mai appeared "Hey I've been looking for you two its time for lunch".

"Coming!", Zuko replied and began walking of towards his wife.

"You coming?"

Aang sat there for a moment before getting up "Yeah"

**To Toph . . .**

_'Halleluhia. . . halleluhia'_ ,Toph thought to herself happily as she boarded a ship bound to the fire nation. It had been 7 long months since she had last seen either of her friends, Sokka and Aang. She was finally going to get out of the house and away from her overly protective father.

She had been so excited when she was told a letter had arrived from the palace.Her mother wasn't all that bad in fact she even read the letter invitation from aang inviting her to stay at the palace, even though her father told her not too. Then when Toph announced she was going to the fire nation, her father told her no and made up the excuse that he didn't want to risk her getting hurt. She had been so mad and upset with him even hurt that he still didn't rust her even though she was the reason the avatar even learned earthbending.

"Dad I'm no longer that angel little girl that just sits around this house like a couch potatoe, is that what you want me to become!. A girl who sits around the house listening to everthing you say just to make you happy. I'm not like that dad I want to do something with my life. I'M A HERO! and if it wasn't for me AANG MAY HAVE NEVER LEARNED HOW TO EARTHBEND" Toph shreaked practically yelling at him by the time she finished.

Her father wasn't listening and just told her he wanted her to be safe.

Toph was so mad at this point that she was about to tell him if he didn't let her go she'd run away and this time never come back, but lucky for her, her mother stood up for her and after a long night of arguing beteen the three Toph got the permission to go.

"Mrs. Beifong we'll be leaving in just a few minutes", the captain told her.

"Alright then lets set sail"

Toph turned in the direction the wind was blowing letting the wind hit her face. She just couldn't wait to leave and in a few days she'd finally see Aang and Sokka once again. She was so excited she could hardly wait.

**To Sokka . . .**

"Now Sokka are you absolutly need to bring all that?" his father asked him as he watched his son pack his sword, boomeraang, spears and clubs, "Its not like your really going to use them all".

"Yes dad I'm possitively sure I need to bring all this you never know when something bad will come up, especially in the firenation. Even thought Zuko's firelord and Aang's helping him rule along with Iroh at his side, there are still be some rebels out there and I'm not going to take any chances" Sokka told his father after he placed his sword in its case "I want to be ready to fight".

"Sokka I know that you want to be prepared and I know there are rebels out there still today theres even proof of that being possible", Hakoda told his son, "But I think you should just bring things you can carry by hand everywhere you go like your sword and boomerang".

"I know but firebenders are morons . . . well most of them" Sokka told his father as he finished packing "and I get what your trying to tell me but I want what ever weapon possible so that I can defend myself".

Hakoda just sighed, and thought that no matter what he said Sokka wouldn't listen to it so he just decided to let his son do as he wished.

"Well thats about it time to load it onto the ship" Sokka said to himself as he picked up his suit case and walked off towards the dock.

After he had said goodbye to his father and grandmother the ship left port and he starred at the shore line until he couldn't see it any longer before turning his attention to his destination.

_The fire nation_

**To Thalassa . . .**

Thalassa was in the kitchen talking to Ambika while washing the dishes when Lea come running in.

"MOMMY!" Lea cried, "JI WON'T STOP POKING ME!"

"Was not"

"Was too"

"Was not!"

"Ok kids stop argueing", Ambika told the two of them before continueing "Alright then Ji where you annoying your sister".

"No I wasn't she's just trying to get me into trouble like always", Ji whined and folded his arms.

"No I'm not you were poking me"

"I told you no I didn't"

"Children!" Ambika barked.

The two fell silent.

"Now I want both of you to go outside behave and Ji no poking your siister and Lea stop trying to get you brother into trouble".

"Fine" the both muttered before going back outside.

Thalassa who had watched to whole scene from the kitchen just giggled.

"What are you laughing at?" Ambika asked as she walked back in the kitchen

"O nothing"

"Ok" Ambika said then remembered something and lifted a bag filled with fresh vegatables.

"I just remembered I need you to deliver these to Shan you know the Ling's boy"

At the mention of Shans name made Thalassa want to puck. He wasn't a very nice 17 yr old boy and the last person she wanted to see right now especially after he started a fight with her 2 weeks ago. Which resulted in a fist fight and her getting pinned to a tree, she ended up having to knee him between the legs just to get away. No one knew what had happened because he had caught her alone in the woods and no one really believed a thing she had told them for one because Shan was considered a little angel to most people in the town and two she was afraid he'd come after her if he was found out about.

"Yes I know Shan", she said to Ambika with a hint of distastet in her voice and tried to keep her face straight and not to make a disgusted face along with it.

"Ok then I need you to be back in an hour ok" Ambika told her handing the bag to her.

"Ok " Thalassa said plainly as she took the bag and walked out of the house. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it" she said miserably under her breath to herself as she walked out of the door.

It was a beatiful day out and there wasn't a single cloud in the sky. The sun showed bright in the sky and light up everything in sight and warmed the hill tops and the pasture. Also there was a slight breeze that made the leaves on the tree rustle and dead dry grass to travel across the field. The wind blew at Thalassa's dress making it sway slightly in the breeze as she made her way down the path to the Ling's place. Her hair blowing ever so slightly.

Thalassa was no longer the beaten up girl she was when the family had found her 8 months ago. She had made a full recovery. The only things remaining was the burn mark on her right leg, now redish pink in color, wound around her leg starting from her ankle and ending 5 inches above her knee. Ula had even told her once that it looked kind of like a dragon wound around her leg. Then there was the burn mark on her chest, now red around and black in the center, it was no longer hurting her and she was glad about that. And finally 2 or 3 rings on her back from welts or something among the sort, all in which where now scars.

She never really thought about her past much or wondered who she really was all that much now for she found it far to painful for she knew she'd mostlikely would never see her family again. For if what Ambika and Li had told her was true and she was from the watertribe she's never be able to get there. The only thing she owned of her past was the blue pendant around her neck. She admired its beauty sometimes and often wondered who had given it to her in the first place.

Now as she walked to the Ling's place she prayed she'd be greeted by either Mrs. or Mr. Ling. But she highly doublted that especially because they were always off in town. As she walked threw the forest path she spotted the Ling's house on her left and began walking over to the house.

The Ling's home was a large 2 story home with 5 or 6 rooms on each floor. A white house in the middle of the forest. Mr. Ling Shan's father was a rich merchant who sold silk, perfume and other items in town. Mrs. Ling was always out shopping for food and such. Then theres Shan who in Thalassa's eyes spent his time going around town smooth talking girls and acting like a goody, goody. he especially had his eye on her and Thalassa didn't like that at all not one little bit. She thought of him as a low life who had nothing better to do then going around messing with girls. He hadn't got a hold of her yet and she attended to keep it that way.

She knocked on the door and for a few seconds no one came, then she heard footsteps aproaching. Then the door opened.

To her relief it was Mrs. Ling.

* * *

So as you can see this is taking place 8 months from Prologue part 4. As you can see Aang still thinks of Katara, Toph's father is just as protective and can't face the fact that Toph is growing up, Sokka's being Sokka and last but not least Thalassa has already got an enemy to look out for in the village.

What will happen next?

Please review


	6. Chapter 2: We're Finally Here!

Alright Chapter 2 is up! Sorry it took so long.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 2: We're Finally Here!**

It had been a 2 weeks since Aang had recieved letters from both his friends that said that they were coming and were on there way. He was expecting them any day now and just couldn't wait to see them again.

"Any day now buddy, our gang will be back together again" Aang said happily as he gave his bison a big hug. Then he suddenly remembered Katara and suddenly felt depressed.

"Well almost everybody" he said quietly as he let go of Appa and turned to stare at the wooden wall before him.

Appa grumbled plainly as to say _'You have to let go sometime'._

Aang getting the message said annoyed, pacing about now back and forth, "I know Appa I should just forget about her but I can't . . I . . I just can't". His voice fading into nothing as he finished.

"Everyone else tells me there's no chance of her being alive but for some reason I get the feeling that she is still alive and not dead. ." Aang began and paused before continueing " . She's just out there somewhere, I know its false hope but its better than nothing at all . . huh buddy?".

He turned to Appa, who made no response.

"Well?", Aang said impatiently.

Appa roared in response.

Aang who seemed convinced smiled and turned to the door and began walking out. As he was walking out he told Appa,"We'll see ya later buddy".

Appa roared as Aang closed the doors to the barn.

Just as he turned to walk into the garden he saw someone running up to him.

"Avatar Aang!" he cried running up to Aang.

"What! what is it? is there trouble?", Aang asked frantically.

"No Sokka of the Southern Watertribe and Toph Beifong have arrived there ships are approaching"

Aang at hearing this became very excited he just couldn't wait to see his friends again.

"Then what are we standing around here for? lets go!", and he ran to the docks leaving the messanger standing in the courtyard.

**T o Toph . . .**

"Lady Beifong"

"Yes captain?", I asked curious, while slouching down in the chair I was in, to find out what all the commotion was about "are we near land or something?".

"Yes mam, actually we will be docking in just a few short moments"

I shot straight up, my eyes wide.

_'We were docking now! was Aang outside? was Sokka already here? was he coming in at the same time as herself? or had he not arrived yet'_ I asked myself, with all these thoughts raceing threw my mind all at once. I was so excited.

I ran up stairs and stood on deck it was breezy but I didn't care it actually felt good.

I heard the sound of a crowd and knew we were close to shore.

"Lady Beifong were docking now", I heard the captain say. Then there was a slight bump and someone say "We've landed".

_'Finally!'_

**To Sokka . . .**

I was sitting down below deck looking at some of the maps and thinking how great it would be to be able to finally see Aang and Toph again. But my thoughts were interupted by one of the crew members, Wen. He was panting and looked like something important was happening.

"What's the matter did something bad happen?" I cried while quickly standing up from my seat.

"N..nno, we...we're approaching the docks of th . .the imperial city as.. wwe spp.eak", he told me just managing to get the words out.

"Then what are we standing around here for lets get up on deck!" I cried and hurried up to the deck followed by Wen.

It was breezy and sunny. I hurried over to the front of the ship and starred out at the approaching land and I smiled when I saw docks of the firenation shore approaching.

8 months since I had last seen my to friends and I couldn't wait, I wondered if they had changed . probraly not. Toph was probraly just as tough as ever and Aang as goofy as ever. I couldn't wait to finally see them and ask them what there life has been like and tell them about mine.

_'We're finally here'_

**Thalassa . . . .**

I was walking threw the forest, I decided to take a short cut to the house. I looked around and decided to take the short route down in the clearing down threw the sap tree forest.

Well as I walked I had no idea how bad of an idea this had been.

For just then I heard footsteps and turned to find none other than that jerk face Shan.

"What do you want?", demanded harshly looking at him with narrow eyes. I was not in the mood to be dealing with him today.

"O nothing", he said innocently walking slowly over to me. My response was walking backward while keeping my eyes firmly fixed on him, I knew better than to take my eyes off of him, I had unfortunatly learned that the hard way.

"O yeah right", I said sourly "you always have a modivation for why you are always stalking me".

"I never said I was stalking you", he said again innocently.

_'There he goes again trying to be all innocent and act like he has no idea what I'm talking about, What a slut' _I thought with disgust.

"So where are you going?' he asked me in a semi unnormal tone.

"That really is none of your business" I shot at him a edge of disguist in my voice.

"Now why are you acting like this?" he asked in a smooth like voice.

"Aww gee I wonder" I said sarcastically _'boy he's stupid'_, "Do you really think I would really forget about what you tried to do to me 2 weeks ago or are you really that dumb"

"I never was trying to hurt you", he said in a fake sincere voice.

"You liar, you wrestled me then pinned me to a tree", I spat out, "your nothin but a liar and someday I'll tell everyone about the true you".

This time he laughed a mocking laugh that sent a chill up my spine.

"You stupid girl, do you honestly think they'll believe you? Now if they would they would have believed you about what took place 2 weeks ago. So face it little girl I have everyone in this village right were I want them not believeing you. And besides you know what would happen if you did."

Then my eyes opened wide in realization that he was right. I was too scared to actually tell someone and the truth was I never spoke of the incident 2 weeks ago. And me telling someone and then Shan getting in trouble, I'd be the one who'd suffer in the end. He'd tract me down until he had me alone and I don't even want to think about the rest, its too scary to even think about.

Shan seeing my reaction smiled a wicked smiling thinking he was winning the battle and slowly began walking up to me.

"Stay away from me" I told him using the bravest voice that I could muster, while backing up. The look in his eyes told it all, I needed to get out of here and fast. I turned around to run but as I turn, I felt a a strong hand grab me by my wrist firmly. Then I was flipped around to stare face to face with Shan, I stared up at him with wide eyes, my heart raced. He was tall, much taller than me by like 9- 11 inches, weighed like twice my weight and was very strong so I really was no match for someone of his stature and that scared me, a lot.

I took her free hand and tried to pry his hand open and pulled hard to make him release his grip but it only tightened and he was now crushing my wrist and it hurt. Then I couldn't take it anymore and I took my free hand and went to slap him across the face but he grabbed my other wrist tightly and I then fought wildly to get away.

"Let go of me!" I yelled as I kicked him in the shin with all my might. This caused him to bend over a little bit releasing his grip on me slightly. So I took this oppotunity and pulled and managed to free one hand but his grip tightened up once again and this time it crushed my wrist.

I held back a scream.

"Why you little . . ." he said in a low tight voice and my eyes grew wide and I yelped when he took me by my arm and twisted it behind my back painfully. Pain shot up my arm and it hurt really bad but I wasn't going to cry. Then he twisted me bad around roughly and flung me into a tree. My head slammed into it and I groaned as I looked up dizzy. He stared at me with narrow eyes before laughing and running off.

"That little son of a .. " I hissed but stopped when I felt something sticky underneath me and then lifted my hand up and stared at sap.

_'O great'_ I thought to myself , '_he threw me into a sap tree now I'm all covered in sap'_. I let out a groan and slumped down where I sat as I thought miserably _'Ambika's not going to be very happy with me, and this is going to be a killer to get this stuff out of my hair'._

"SHIT!"

**Sometime later. . . .**

"Thalassa hold still" Ambika told the girl impatiently, who was fidgting in her seat, as she was attempting to get the nots out of the her hair.

"Ow . .Ow . . . Ow", Thalassa cried, digging her nails into the chair she was sitting on, as Ambika pulled at her hair with a comb.

"Thalassa now how did you get covered in sap again?"

"I told you I was taking a short cut threw the pine tree forest when I tripped over a big root sticking out of the ground" Thalassa lied not wanting to tell her the real reason.

Ambika sighed.

"Thalassa is that the real way it happened?" she asked her, "Or is there something that your not telling me?".

Thalassa sat there and said nothing.

"Well?"

This time she anwsered and lied "Yes mam thats the way it happened".

_'Boy do I hate lying to people'_

"Are your possitivly sure?", Ambika asked suspisiously.

"Yes I wasn''t paying attention to where I was walking"

Then Ambika dropped the brush and went to pick it up and when she looked up she noticed Thalassa's red wrists. She then grew very suspisious.

"Thalassa"

"Yeah?"

"Why are your wrist all red?"

This caused her to become stiffen. _'Uh no'_ she thought dreadfully _'What am I going to tell her? uh I hate lying'.'_

"Um" she began then stopped for a moment before comtinuing " I .. uh . .you see after I fell I tried to scrap the sap off of my wrists and . . I guess I scratched to hard".

_'Boy I'm an idiot she's not goin to by that'_

"Alright" Ambika sighed still not believeing the whole story, before saying agitated when the comb got stuck "Uh this stuff isn't coming out". She then pulled it out causing Thalassa to whince.

"Now what?" Thalassa asked.

"I'll have to cut your hair"

"But . ." Thalassa protested.

"Thalassa I can't get this stuff out besides it'll only be up to your shoulders" Ambika told her calmly as she went to find a knife to cut it with.

"Does it have to be that short ?" She asked curiously even though she knew what the anwser would be.

"Yes" Ambika replied her as she exited the room.

Thalassa sat there sulking.

_'Kill . .kill .. kill . .kill . .kill .kill . . .'_ she thought to herself angrily _'I can't believe I let that bastard throw me into that sap covered tree'. _

Then she thought about how Shan was so going to pay.**_

* * *

_**Looks like Sokka, Toph, and Aang will be reunited how excitin! But theres a reason for it Zuko just didn't tell Aang or them about it yet. 

Yeah Shan is such a big jerk huh? and Thalassa won't tell anyone about how he treats her it either.

Please review


	7. Chapter 3: Are you sure She's Alive?

Chapter 3 is up

Enjoy

* * *

**Chapter 3: Are You Sure She's Alive?**

Toph was the first one to walk off and onto the dock . There was a crowd of people all cheering.

'_This so beats my home in a Gaoling' , _Toph thought smirking.

Next came Sokka and he saw a huge cheering crowd.

_Talk about a hero's welcome' _

Then he looked over to the right and saw another ship docked not to far from his and it was Earthkingdom.

'_Toph's here to!'_

He stared out into the crowd as he stepped off the dock then back at the ship next to his and saw Toph walking off the dock as well.

'_She is here!'_

Toph on the other hand the second she walked off the dock felt many heartbeats and didn't seem to notice Sokka until he began walking towards her.

Her eyes got wide and she stared in his direction and shouted "Snoozles is that you?"

Even above the crowd Sokka could here her calling him by his old nickname.

"Toph!", he cried and ran up to her once he reached her he said excited "I didn't know you would be here!"

"I didn't know you'd be hear either", and she punched him in the arm, hard. Sokka rubbed his bruised arm and looked up to see Aang making his way to them.

"Aang!"

The Avatar made his way quickly threw the large cheering crowd and to his best friends whom he hasn't seen in months.

"SOKKA! TOPH!"

"Aang!"

"TWINKLETOES1"

When he reached them Sokka greeted him first with a back crushing bear hug.

"S.Sokka. I. I.. can't b. .b .rea.a.th", he choked while being squeezed tightly. Sokka then immediately let go and the 2 friends laughed. Next Toph greeted him with a hard punch in the arm and said cheerfully "Nice to see ya twinkle toes".

Aang winced and rubbed his bruised arm, like Sokka, and laughed a little.

"So how you been buddy?", Sokka asked.

"Why not talk about that at the palace"

"Why?" Sokka then looked and saw all the people gathered "O"

**In the Palace. . . **

The three friends all sat around in Aang's room talking and catching up.

"I help my father run the southern water tribe and man has it changed Aang you've got to see it sometime it looks at lot more like the Northern Watertribe", Sokka said cheerfully.

"What about me?", Toph asked annoyed, "Why can't I go there?".

"Well I don't know about how you'll be able to see in the snow and its freezing cold but we could take you there sometime", Sokka replied quietly consideration the thought.

"What's snow?", Toph asked.

"Its frozen water kind of like the ice bridge Katara had made back at the serpents pass", Sokka said.

"O", was all she said as she remembered the terrible and frightening experience of almost drowning and not being able to see.

"So what'd you do Toph while in the Earthkingdom?", Aang asked to change the subject.

"Well first off my father still a stick in the mud and if it wasn't for my mother I would have run away again to come here. My father and I got into a huge argument the night before I left he kept saying it wasn't safe blah . . Blah . . blah then my mother stood up for me and now I 'm here. Anyway besides my overly protective father things are going great I'm still the champion at Earth rumble 6 and people actually know I exist", Toph replied more energetically at the end then asked, "How's things been for you twinkle toes?".

Just then a someone knocked on the door and everyone turned there attention to the closed door. Curious and not the least worried Aang walked over and opened the door to find a messenger in front of him.

"Um can I help you?", Aang asked.

The man bowed and said "Avatar Aang you and your friends presence is needed immediately by Firelord and his advisor Iroh".

Sokka and Toph perked up immediately.

'_What happened now?' _Aang thought miserably to himself _'I was just starting to enjoy myself'._

"Tell them well be right over"

"Yes Avatar Aang", the messanger said and bowing them hurried off. Aang turned to his friends, "looks like will have to go see what happened".

"What do you think it is?, Toph asked.

"I have no idea, but it has to be bad if they needs us immediately"

**Meanwhile . . .**

"Thalassa what happened to your long hair?", Koko asked when she came running in followed by Ji and Lea.

"I had it cut", she told her simply.

"But why?"

"Because I wanted it to" '_not really'_

"O" her and the others began walking out of the door then Lea suddenly asked "Thalassa?"

"Yes"

"Why were you yelling earlier?"

Thalassa stopped praying she didn't hear what had gone on with her and Shan earlier, then answered.

"Where did you hear me yelling?"

"Outside earlier today"

'_O shit! What do I say, what do I say!' _she thought frantically then she came up with an answer_**, "**_because I tripped and hitmy knee".

"Well then who was the other person?"

Thalassa sighed she was going to have to find a way to make Lea stop talking before Ambika overheard the conversation and she'd never let this type of thing go, _'this is going to be a long afternoon'._

**In the war room . . .**

Aang, Sokka, and Toph entered to find Iroh and Zuko already seated.

"Why are we in the war room?", Sokka asked apsentmindedly as he and the others sat down. Aang sat there trying to look interested and tried not to sulk.

"What's up Sparky", Toph asked.

Zuko ignored the nickname that really annoyed him and replied, "something turned up that's very important. Uncle tell them what it is".

Iroh perked up and looked serious, "We've discovered evidence of a rebellion forming"

"How big and are they able to be stopped now?", Toph asked in the mood to kick fire nation rebel butt.

"We don't know much about it except that people have been complaining about haveing been robbed and 2 men had been overheard talking about joing a rebellion" Zuko explained then added "Also something else has turned up that will interest you".

"What is it", Aang asked just a little bit interested. All eyes fell on Zuko and Iroh. And what Iroh told them shocked them.

"There's a possibility that Miss. Katara may not be _'dead'_"

**Back to Thalassa . . .**

"Alright who did this!", Koko yelled, pointing to a knocked over plant and the dirt dumped out.

"Not me", Ji protested and walked out of the room.

"It was NiNi", Lea said pointing to the families cat owl who perked up and looked at the two girls sleepily.

"Yeah right NiNi is a couch potatoe all she does is sleep and eat and go to the bathroom like you", Koko argued.

"I do not!", Lea yelled back.

"Yes you do?"

"DO NOT!"

Just then Thalassa came walking into the room.

"Guys what's going on in here?"

"NiNi knocked over the plant and Koko's calling me fat!" Lea cired pointing an acusing finger at her older sibling.

**Back to the war room . . .**

The three friends froze.

Toph wasthe first one to recover andasked unsure "How do you guys know for sure she's alive?".

"We aren't entirely sure but since there's a rebellion in form and not to mention her body was never recovered their is a big possibility that she was taken captive", Iroh replied.

"But just because she was captured doesn't necessarily mean she is still alive", Sokka suddenly said adding tension to the room even more, "I mean I'd love more than anything to see her alive and well again, but just the thought of what she would have suffered or maybe still is, its just to horrible to describe".

As the others talked Aang just stayed in his chair staring off into space thinking hard.

'_What if she is alive?' _he thought hopefully then he thought about the result of her still being alive _'But if she is she could still be held captive or is somewhere . . .'_

Suddenly a white flash appears in his eyes and fades and Zuko is the first one who notices.

"Aang?"

**Flashback . . .**

_Everything goes black and a ear piercing scream appears out of nowhere followed by a thumping noise, the slamming of a metal door and cussing. It causes him to jump and look around frantically._

"_What was that?", he says frantically as he looked around then he hears crying._

"_Hello is anyone there?"_

_No one answered instead he hears more crying and sobbing. He walks around and into the dark trying to find the source of the sound. Aang walks around in the dark for a little while that is until he bumps into something hard._

"_Ow", he rubs the side of his head then gets up and reaches out his hand to have it come in contact with metal and he grasped it to find that it was a bar._

"_A cage?" he wondered out loud, and listened the crying was coming from right in front of him._

"_Hello is anyone there?", he called but it went unanswered and the crying did not cease. He narrowed his eyes in attempt to see what was in front of him he could tell there was definatly someone there but he _

_couldn't make out who they were._

_Then suddenly the crying stopped and he was back in the war room._

**End of flashback. . .**

The flash appeared back in his eyes and vanished just as suddenly as it came and Aang stared at everyone and was taken a little back about what had just happened. Everyone was looking at him and were wondering the same thing, what had just happened?

'_Was I dreaming'_, he wondered _'No it was too real much to real'._

"Aang what happened?", Sokka asked thinking his friend had just gone to the spirit world for some strange reason or another.

"I have no idea what just had happened", Aang replied some what bewildered.

"Well you were staring off into space and your heart beat was all weird and stuff and now its back to normal", Toph explained.

"Yeah what did happened Aang?", Zuko asked turning back to the avatar.

"I don't know everything was dark there was no light anywhere an I heard crying and I bumped into a cage".

Everyone except Iroh stared at him weirdly.

"Who do you think was crying", Iroh asked.

"I have no idea but I've heard that cry before I just know I have, it sounded so strange and yet familiar at the same time"

Zuko sensing the tension in the room decided to change the subject "So what are we going to do about the rebellion?".

**Meanwhile thousands of miles away in the Earth kingdom . . . **

"You idiot!, we're supposed to be looking for that girl remember!", a tall man dressed in red yelled at his two partners.

"O come on there isn't chance she survived that fall off that cliff and its even more unlikely she ended up in the earth kingdom", one of the men complained.

"Well she's a water bender and in the bosses eyes she survived, so he wants that girl found and brought to him even of it means searching every deserted island in the world and every town. Because if it wasn't for you two idiots she wouldn't even know about are plans. But you two had to blab it out in hallway just in her ear range".

"But I gave her the scare of her life afterwards", one of the men said casually with an evil grin.

"Yes but you weren't supposed to do that either. Now lets findherbecause you two numb sculls know what'll happen if she meets up with the Avatar or one of his friends our plans will be ruined!"

"We know", they mumbled.

"Now lets go!", he barked and the other two men followed him into a nearby town.

**Meanwhile five towns farther. . . **

"Thalassa when did you cut your hair?", Lilia asked later that day.

Lilia is one of Thalassa 2 best friends here at the village. Lilia is a energetic 16 yr old girl and she has a serious twin sister whom is older then her by 5 minutes, Rere. Lilia loves to have fun and sometimes can't think straight in a situation, and is somewhat irresponsible and can always finds a way to make people laugh even without trying. While Rere is more responsible and is able to think straight in a bad situation, most of the time, and watches out for her sister to make sure Lilia doesn't end up doing something really stupid. The 2 twins are the same height and are only 2 centimeters taller than Thalassa and they are Li and Ambika's eldest nieces and there father is Li's older brother, Hsin, by 5 yrs. Lilia is an Earthbender, while Rere is not instead she fight with a sword and bow and arrows and has extremely good aim. Lilia has brunette brown hair, deep brown eyes and strangely dark brown skin, which is just a shade darker than Thalassa, while Rere has pale skin, like Toph, and deep brown eyes like Lilia.

"Earlier today", Thalassa replied still not happy about it.

"If your so unhappy about it then why'd you cut it?", Lilia asked.

"I don't want to talk about it"

"Alright. . O hey Rere!"

"Hi guys Thalassa you didn't tell me you cut your hair", Rere said surprised once she saw her friends new hair cut.

Thalassa sighed.

"Like I was telling Lilia I had it cut this morning and I'm not happy about it either and I don't want to talk about why"

"That's ok but it does look nice"

"O thanks"

* * *

Names and Meanings: 

Lilia is Russian for Mauve _"Flower"_ and Slavonic for _"From the name Lilac"_

Rere is Maori for _"A waterfall"_

Those firebenders never give up do they? Anyway what did Aang see? and how will it help them? Read and find out.

Please review


	8. Chapter 4: Travelers news

I'm finally back. Sorry about the long wait I had a major road block, _Like with every new chapter_, and I couldn't figure out what to write or what would be in this chapter. SO after along time of trial and error and writting down ideas, Here it is:

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 4: Travelers news**

It had been a month since Thalassa had gotton her hair cut for reasons we all know.

It was the middle of the night and the entire family were all asleep. Thalassa was pulled out of deep sleep by what appeared to be someone crying. She sat up and listened, it was definitely crying it sounded like one of the little ones had woken up. Sighing she got up and walked over to the babies room where Hea, Mei and Kisa slept.

Mei is a 10 month old girl and the youngest of the 7 children. Mei normally is very quiet and doesn't make a lot of noise unless is hurt, tired or, wants to eat. She is a light brown haired infant with big bright green eyes and light pale skin. Mei is unusually small for her age and is a very sickly child ever since she was born.

Hea is a 1 and ¼ yr old girl. Hea is considered by many one of the prettiest babies they've ever seen with pale skin, light brown with a tint of yellow colored hair and, hazel eyes.

Kisa is a 1 2/3 yr old girl. Kisa is very chubby and a screamer and very clingy to certain people especially her mother. Like her brother she has sandy red hair, then she has pale skin, brown freckles dotting her chubby cheeks and extremely dark brown eyes that one at first glance would swear are black.

She peered in to discover it was the youngest child Mei who had woken up. Rushing to her side and picking her up gently out of her crib and looked to see the other two had not been woken.

'_That's good' _she thought to herself in relief.

She held the crying Mei in her arms and slowly began to rocked her back and forth. As she tried to sooth the distressed child she began to sing softly:

**Sun goes down,  
and we are here together.  
Fireflies glow like a thousand charms  
stay with me  
and you can dream forever  
right here in my arms**  
The little girl's cries soon began to turned to whimpers as she listened attentively. Thalassa smiled at this and continued singing,  
**it's magic  
when you are here beside me  
close your eyes  
and let me hold you tight  
everything  
that I could ever need  
is right here in my arms tonight**

As she finished softly, she looked down to the child in her arms and smiled when she had found her asleep in her arms.

Smiling Thalassa placed the child back into her crib and sat there for a little while just staring and watching her sleep.

'_She looks so peaceful when she's sleeping' _she thought smiling. Then a thought came to mind and her smile turned to a frown as a question she wanted to be answered so badly came to mind.

'_I wonder where I come from? And do I have a family? do they miss me?' _she sighed _'What happened to me anyway? How did I get to be where I am now? How'd I get mixed up with fire benders, was I kidnapped from my home, or am I someone important?'_

A tear trickled down her cheek silently as she tried to remember anything from of her past. But no matter what nothing came into her mind her memory was blank about what had happened to her before Ambika and Koko, Ji, and Lea found her on the beach. She could only remembered a cruel face, darkness, fire, heart-retching screams and lots of blood. All horrible memories of her imprisonment in the Fire Nation. She had no clue why she was a prison and she really wished she new why. Thalassa wanted to know so badly who she was but no matter how hard she tried to remember nothing came.

So she stole one last glance at the sleeping Mei before heading through the door and back to the comforts of her own room.

Once in her room she closed the door behind her quietly then ran to her bed and fell to her knees at the side of the bed. Then berried her head in her arms and cried.

'_Who am I?'_

**The next morning . . . . **

Thalassa awoke to the sound of the chicken pig crowing.

"Uuuh" she groaned as she rubbed her eyes and got slowly out of bed. Once she was dressed in her green robe she wore practically everyday, she walked down the hall. Just then something whizzed by her feet and it sent her stumbling backwards.

"What was that!", she said and turned to see nothing but a black streak fly around the corner. She then followed the streak into the kitchen.

It was NiNi.

'_Crazy cat owl' _she thought _'Since when did she start actually moving?'._

Just then Li entered the kitchen and when he saw Thalassa he smiled.

"Hello Thalassa", he said cheerfully, like he did almost every morning.

"Hello" she replied, she paused then asked when she saw him getting ready for something "Where are you going today?".

"Just out to the Ling's place, along with a few others, to help with a few repairs that need to be done"

"O"

As he put on his coat and opened the door he turned around and said "Tell Ambika I'll be back later, Ok?".

"Ok"

And with that he was off.

She waited a few moments before she walked outside into the cool morning air and watched some leaves rush past. Shivering slightly in the wind she rushed out to the barn to begin the morning chores like she did every morning.

The door opened with a creak, and she walked in, leaving the door open letting the sheep pigs and cow pigs run out into the pasture to graze.

'_Lets see . .. '_, she thought as she went over to the chicken coop to see if there were any eggs to gather for breakfast.

**At Breakfast. . . . **

The little ones all came running in Koko, Ji, Lea, Ula and Anata.

Anata is Ula's twin sister and there both 3 1/2 yr old. But even though there twins there complete opposites from one another in appearance and personality. While Ula is very playful and loves her stuffed badger mole, that she's had since she was 5 months old and won't go anywhere without it. She's a regular tomboy and likes to play ruff. She has big brown eyes, chocolate hair, and medium tan skin. Anata is very serious like and girly and clings mostly her favorite doll, she brings everywhere. It has brown eyes, black hair and semi pale skin and wears a green dress. Anata has hazel eyes, yellowish- brown hair, and a sickly pale skin tone

"Mommy whats from bweakfast?", Ula asked as she ran into the room, her stuffed badger mole she calls _"Hye"._

"Eggs and milk sweet heart", her mother told her from the other side of the room.

"Does it have to be eggs?", Anata whined while holding her doll "Kirana" to her chest.

"Well that's all we have honey", Ambika told the 3 yr old girl.

"Aaww can't we eat something else?", Anata whined again.

"Well what else is there to eat?", her mother asked as she placed the milk and eggs on the table.

"I don't know?"

Ambika sighed.

The 4 children hurried to there seats around the table, while Anata just sulked as she sat down.

"Hey where's Thalassa?", Lea asked looking around the room.

Ambika looked around and said "I don't know she was here a minute ago".

There was a pause of silence when the banging sound of someone running was heard down the hall. A few moments later NiNi came flying out of the door, threw the kitchen and into the backroom. The little ones giggled. A second later Thalassa came rushing in.

"See ya gotta run" she hurried to the door and Ambika commanded

"Stop!"

Thalassa came to a halt and skidded a feet or so and turned around and asked "What's the matter?".

"Where are going?"

"I 'm meeting Rere and Lilia at there place", she replied.

"How about you stay and have breakfast with us first"

"Well I can just go over there and eat anyway"

Ambika gave her a look that said no way.

"Aaww come on" She pleaded then gave her a puppy dog look "Pleeeeeeeeease". The 5 children all giggled. Ambika sighed.

"Ok fine but be back later to help with the farm"

"Ok …Bye", and with that she ran out the door.

Ambika stared after her and rolled her eyes _'Teenagers'_

**To Thalassa . . .**

She ran down the forest path to her friends home, the Wang's.

Her friends were in front of the house waiting for her. "Hey Thalassa!", Lilia cried as she waved one hand in the air and ran over to her, Rere followed.

The Wang family live on a farm that stretched about 6 acres in size and lived in a medium sized house with 6 rooms and 1 story. It was a pretty nice house surrounded by trees and bushes. There backyard was were the farm was. There were a few hills that the girls liked to roll down when they were bored or just for the heck of it.

"So what do you want to do today?", Rere asked as they walked around the farm. There pet Turkey duck Geert fallowing close behind.

"I don't know but I'm starving!", Lilia exclaimed.

"You and food"

"Hey!"

**Later . . . **

The three girls were walking through the streets laughing at something Lilia had said and talking about boys or what not. When they saw three people walk by them, a man and two women. They appeared to them to be from out of town. The twins paid no heed to the three of them but Thalassa kept her ears open while watching her two friends.

"Well would've ever thought Fire Nation on these shores after all this time", one women said annoyed.

Another women replied in agreement "I know I thought that once Avatar Aang took down the Firelord and ended this war that would be the end of those Fire nation beasts".

Thalassa stopped why did the name Aang sound so familiar to her.

"Thalassa you comin?", she heard Rere call.

"Ya just a sec I'll catch up with you", she called back.

"Ok then we'll meet you down by the docks, Ok?"

"Ok" _'Why the dock?'_

Then she turned around and went searching for those people. She found them at one of the stands. She got closer and listened.

"Fire Nation here in the Earthkingdom again!", she heard Mrs. Ling exclaim "I thought for sure they'd be gone once the war ended"

"I know there probably here up to know good I assume", the man said.

"How far away?"

"Well we been traveling for sometime and we just came from Shaoling", one of the women explained.

"Shaoling why that's only 3 towns away from here!", Mrs. Ling gasped "what do you think they could possibly want?".

"They said something about a blue eyed girl with a scared leg but that's about it"

"I knew it they'd be up to know good going after a girl"

This caused Thalassa to gasp.

'_Girl with blue eyes and scared leg' _she thought shocked _'Why that could be me . .'_

But her thoughts were interrupted by Mrs. Ling who had noticed here standing there.

"Why hello Thalassa I didn't see you there, do you need anything?"

She looked up "No mam I'm fine", and she walked away.

Her dress twirled as she turned around quickly and only a glimpse of her scarred leg showed but enough to alarm the three travelers a little bit. Mrs. Ling however did not noticed and went back to her work.

"Did you see that?", one of the women asked.

"I know a blue eyed girl and a scarred leg", the other women said, "You don't think?. . .".

**Back to Thalassa. . .**

she ran down the street and nearly ran over a women in fancy clothing and a man in a fancy suit.

"Sorry!", she cried as she ran past and she thought she heard one of them say "Wild child".

Thalassa met her friends by the fountain to find out they were just sitting there and miraculously not fighting or arguing. Lilia was sleeping., and Rere was playing with the water. Just then she looked up to see her and smiled. Then elbowed Lilia in the arm to wake her up.

"Hey were ya been, we've been waiting?", Lilia called.

"I was on my way but got distracted", Thalassa replied the last part was quiet as she remembered what had just previously happen.

When she sat down Rere asked "Distracted, by what?".

At first she didn't answer then she asked "What do you guys think about the Fire Nation?".

She watched there smiles turn to frowns.

"We despise them for what they did to us and out town a few years back. Why?", Lilia asked with a hint of disgust in her voice.

"Well because when I was walking I over heard some people talking about there being some fire Nation soldiers in the earthling 3 towns from here"

"What here in the Earthkingdom!" she heard her friends exclaim.

"Yes", she replied her voice fading while debating wither or not to tell them the rest.

There was a uncomfortable silence when suddenly Thalassa decided to break it.

"Li should be back at the farmhouse by now", Thalassa told them and got up and turned around, "So I think I better head on home now to help".

"Ok then see ya" the twins said in unison, as they were deep in thought.

"See ya" and with that Thalassa was off down the path threw the forest to her house.

* * *

Alright fist off the song is called_ "Right Here in my Arms"_ from the movie _"Barbie and the island princess"._ I chose it because I thought the lyrics were pretty and it seemed to fit.

Well looks like the soldiers are getting closer.

Names and meanings:

Kirana is Indonesian for "_Beautiful Sunbeam"._

Hye means _"graceful" _and origin is unknown

Geert is Germanic for _"Brave strength"_

_Please review._


	9. Chapter 5: The Mission

I'm back and yes I'm alive if you haven't read my oneshots I've been working on. Sorry this one took so long to publish **(like them all).** Major writers block I didn't know what to write, I know many writers ask for suggestions but I have the entire strory mapped all the way up to what I presume to be chapter 20 or so wow there'll be that many? Yes and more than that to. So I find my way "**slowly" **around the writers block and some chapters are just to hard tto write. Anyway **THIS ONE CONTAINS SPOILERS AT THE END OF "THE EMBER ISLAND" SO DON'T READ THE ENDING OF THE CHAPTER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED EVEN IF IT IS MINOR. **/alright now that thats over with heres chapter 5.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 5: A Mission**

It had been decided that in order to find the forming rebellion and hopefully, Katara along with them, was to first send out a group of 4 men, in 5 different groups, to search the fire Nation in all corners until something came up. While that was going on Aang, Toph and Sokka would search all the islands around the outskirts of Fire Nation territory, which included Ember island.

"So who'd ever thought", Toph sighed "Almost a year that the war ended and some rebellion breaks out, Why can't people just stand the peace?", Toph cried annoyed.

"Yeah I really don't understand it either Toph, why some people just can't live in peace, I mean we just got here and having to leave tomorrow . . . hey I wonder when dinner is I'm starvi . . **(THUNK) **.. . Ow! Toph what was that for?", Sokka cried while rubbing his sore arm after Toph had punched it, hard.

"First of all the world's hugest threat is somewhere out there and all you can think about is your stomach!", she told him annoyed, "And second we've been here for 2 days".

"Hey I love to eat", he shot back.

"Wow I never thought that you could even go 20 minutes without having something to eat", Toph said to herself while smirking. Sokka gave her a cold glare until he realized she couldn't see it and then said sarcastically "Hah ha Toph hilarious".

Just then the door flew open and Aang stepped into the room, walked over to the bedside and fell onto his back.

He sighed a desperate sigh.

"So was it that bad?", Sokka asked as he turned to look at the 13 yr old Avatar who was clearly in distress.

"They could be anywhere Sokka, and I don't even think all of them are even in the Fire nation but spread out throughout the Earthkingdom as well", he sighed.

"What makes you think that?", Sokka asked.

"Well Zuko and Iroh showed me all the areas around the fire nations islands where they're could be hideouts and there's so many. Besides they could be split up among the islands or not even be on the outskirts at all and be on the main land and that's still iffy. For all we know they could have some members hiding out in the Earthkingdom"

The other two just sat looking worried as they knew that judging on what he had said, that even if something did come up and they found the rebellion that not all of them were actually there. Silence filled the room for several moments before Toph decided to break it.

"Ok what's that mean? We have a lesser chance of finding the entire rebellion?"

"Yeah that and an even smaller chance of finding Katara alive", he sat up this time and looked at them, "Iroh had brought up the subject about finding her when one of the guards came. Turns out he was there and saw her after the battle. He confirmed are suspicion of wither or not she was actually kidnapped and he said . . . she was. He told us about what he saw, there where these 2 men who came up behind her and when she turned around to face them, she passed out and they took her away. Then he told us that .. That . .", he couldn't finish he just looked away a few tears falling.

This alarmed his friends and Sokka asked concerned wanting to know what made Aang so upset, he asked alarmed "What he said what?".

"That she was covered in burns and had a open sore or burn . . about 3 or so inches from her. .heart" he said sadly "Also I know that those injuries wouldn't have been taken care of either by whom ever her captures are instead they'd probably would have or by now had taken advantage of her vulnerability".

"That's what I fear has happened to her", Sokkasaidhis voice grave "that's why at the meeting I said I'd rather have her die on the battlefield than have to suffer mercifully at the hands of some fire benders".

He paused for a moment and his gravevoiceturnedto anger and there was unleashed hate in his voice, "But if she's alive and we find her and I find out that they have hurt her, somebody's gunna die" he clenched his teeth together as he said that.

Toph and Aang knew that was true. Sokka wasn't someone to go back on his word and especially when it comes to his little sister. A dead, tense, and unbearable silence filled the room for several minutes while everyone was deep in thought. Aang about Katara and if he'd ever see her again and if it was even worth the time and effort to even check the outskirts of the Fire nation. Toph about the terrifying ride on Appa threw the sky and if they should search the earth kingdom like Aang had suggested. And finally Sokka who thought only about his missing baby sister and wondered if she was ok, suffering or even alive.

"Hey guys"?", Toph said quietly., causing the boys to be pulled out of there thoughts.

"Yea Toph what's the matter?", Aang asked curiously.

"I don't know about you guys but I think I smell food", she replied looking in the direction of the door.

This caught Sokka's attention _'Food?' _and he sniffed the air and stood up.

"Yeah I smell food too lets go eat", he said sort of excited and hurried out the door. Leaving Toph and Aang in the room.

"Come on Twinkletoes lets go before Snoozles eats everything on us", she said jokingly and stood up and headed out the door.

Aang chuckled a little and called as he hurried after her "Hey wait up!".

**The next day . . . . .**

Everyone had gathered there belongings and were now boarding Appa. They were going to take off in the palace's courtyard to prevent a big commotion, that was the last thing that was wanted, a large crowd, they wanted to leave quietly so nobody knew they were gone.

"Ok got everything?", Aang asked as he sat on Appa's head Momo perched on his shoulder.

"Yeah", came his reply.

"As much as I like Appa and all, I hate flying", Toph said sickly.

"He since when isn't that knew", Sokka laughed.

"Hey get down here so I can kick you to the next century", Toph said annoyed.

"No thank you"

"Uh", she groaned and climbed onto the bison's back.

"Is everyone ready?", Aang called.

"Yeah"

"Sure"

Just as they were about to take to the sky's, Zuko came running, holding a piece of paper. Sokka looks over and notices the Firelord hurrying towards them.

"Aang wait ? Zuko's coming!", he yelled causing the avatar to turn and face the Firelord.

"Aang don't leave! I have something for you!"

"What is it Zuko?", Aang asked as he jumped of the bison to meet firelord.

"Heres a map of all the places me and my uncle have come up with for you to search. There all areas where talk about the rebellion is very common.

Aang looked at the scroll and thanked Zuko before hoping back onto Appa and taking o the skies.

**Meanwhile. . . .**

"I'm bored"

"I'm hungry"

"I'm tired"

"I'm. . . "

"SHUT UP!", the commander shouted completely fed up with the other two soldiers complaining.

"Ok", they said together a little scared, but soon went back to mopping.

After a few minutes of silence one of the men asked:

"Which town next?", One of them asked.

"Mingche", came his reply.

"Mingche?", he asked puzzled "Oh you mean that large village over 50 miles away?"

"Yep"

"Aw that will take us days", the other soldier wined.

"O suck it up and take it like a man"

"Hey I am I man I'm 18!", he cried.

"So what you couldn't even keep that girl under control", the commander scoffed.

"O so now its my fault she fell of the cliff?", he said annoyed.

"Pretty much"

"So why are we going after her again when she could be anywhere?", one of them asked, for all we know she could be dead"

The commander groaned in frustration and mumbled something about stupid idiots before answering "For all we know she could be hiding and we won't give up until we know for sure she's dead".

**Meanwhile 4 towns away . . . . .**

"Mommy?"

"Yes honey?"

"Where's Thalassa?", Koko asked her mother curiously.

"I don't know? I haven't seen her all day. . . . why?", Ambika asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow.

"Because Shan came up to me and Ji and asked about her", she explained.

"O he did, did he?"

"Yes, he said he had something he wanted to ask her"

"Did he say what?"

"No just that If I saw her to tell him"

"Well if you see him tell him that even I have know idea where she is"

"Ok", Koko said quickly and hurried out the door. Her mother watching her go from the kitchen.

**Later at the market . . . .**

"Hey Ji I wonder where Thalassa is?", Koko said to younger and only brother as the two of them walked around town. Normally Lia would accompany them but she was at home in bed with a horrible fever and since she was gone everything seemed boring.

"No idea and where's Shan he said he'd be hear all day?", Ji said annoyed.

"How should I know maybe he went in search of her"

"Yeah"

The duo walked around town for a little while before running into the twins, or Thalassa two friends, Lilia and Rere.

"O hey you two didn't think of running into you two here", Lilia said kindly as she looked down at the 2 young children.

"Hi Lilia and Rere", they said together.

"Have you seen Thalassa?", Ji asked thinking that since since both his cousins were her friends.

"Actually we were going to ask you guys the same thing", Rere said in surprise "You mean you don't know were she is?"

They shook there heads no.

"No mommy doesn't know either, and Shans been looking for her"

"O", was all they said and then Rere looked like she wanted to say something then asked:

"I heard Lia sick"

"Yeah she's been in bed for 2 days", Koko replied sadly, "but mommy said she will be ok and that everyone gets sick".

"Yeah I guess things like that happen", Rere said absentminded.

Koko stood for a few seconds contemplating asking a question that she curious to know the answer for, but wasn't sure if she should wait and ask Thalassa but then decided to:

"Um Lilia and Rere?", she asked.

"Yeah?", they said in unison.

"Um do you know why Shan always follows Thalassa around and asks where she is all the time?"

The two pondered on this for a few moments while in thought, they believed he had a crush on her but they didn't know how to tell this to a 5 and 6 yr old.

"Um maybe he likes her?", Lilia suggested.

"O", Ji and Koko nodded then turned when they heard a familiar voice and the twins turned there attention to the voice to. It was Shan. He was with his little group of friends, from the outside the two youngsters and they're older cousins, had absolutely no idea that this bunch were nothing but a bunch of low lifes. So Koko and Ji saw them as a bunch of teenage boys who hung out with Shan, nothing much. But to the two eldest girls those were some of the most hottest guys in the village.

"O look whos coming", Lilia squealed.

"Yeah I know", Rere giggled.

Koko just stared off at the boys and not hearing a word but her brother pretended to gag and made himself look sick.

**To Appa. . . .**

"So whats that?", Sokka asked curiously while pointing to the map to Zuko had given him only hours before.

"O this", he holds up the map "is a map of all the Firenation islands with designated spots marked in red as areas that we should spend the most time at and search mostly. These are the areas Zuko said that the rebellion is most talked about"

He unrolled the map.

"For existence ShangGi, and then there's Ember Island".

"Hey isn't Ember Island the place were they had that play about you guys?", Toph asked smirking knowing the answer.

"Uh why?" Sokka asked unsure whether or not to answer the question.

"O just because . . ."

"Yeah it was"

"Ha! I knew it that was hilarious", Toph laughed and fell back laughing hysterically as she remembered the play they had once seen their over 1 yr ago.

Aang shrunk back and Sokka sulked at the memory. It was possibly the most embarrassing thing in there life yet Toph found it hilarious.

"Ha Twinkletoes's actor was a girl and they so nailed you Snoozles with the food", She cried out laughing sand holding her stomach.

The two boys turned red in embarrassment.

"Ok Toph can you please stop", Sokka begged.

"A.alright", she managed to say through her laughter.

"Ok now what do we do now?", Sokka asked to no one in particular.

"I suggest we head to Jining", Aang suggested looking on his map, "Its the closes island so far".

"So how far is Jining?"

"Um . . .", he looked on his map and began to estimate the amount of time before answering "Uh. . about 6 or 7 hour away at best"

"Ok . . .onward to Jinjing!", Sokka cried and pointed out into the horizon.

Toph rolled her eyes and said to correct him will laughing to herself "earth to Snoozles its Jining not Jinjing"

"What ever"

"What ever you say Snoozles . . what ever you say . ."

* * *

Where's Thalassa/Katara you might be wondering right now. Well you'll have to wait and see and remember Shan searching for her thats going to have a nasty result to that on her part and his. Also don't forget Lea's illness I have that going somewhere to. And heads up don't worry she's not going to die none of Ambika and Li's children are going to. Also for those who read to end it is true they do go see a play in "The Ember Island Players" and yes Aang's actor is a girl and Sokka's character makes him out as a excessive food eater, As we all know he is and Toph, she just loves every bit of it. I saw the spolier on Youtube from the New York ComicCon and from what I saw its going to one of the most funniest episodes all season.

Anyway please review.


	10. Chapter 6: The Unknown Family Reunion

Chapter 6 is now up Finally! Sorry about the lack of updates I had this huge writers block and couldn't seem to get over it. I was planning to have this out before the season finale sdly that didn't happen. But don't worry I haven't forgetton about this story and I'll be continueing it.

Enjoy!

**

* * *

Chapter 6: The Unkown Family reunion**

It was a bright morning in the Earthkingdom and everyone in th house had woken up and were in the kitchen. That is all except Thalassa that is who was out at the barn collecting eggs like every morning well trying to find some and Ambika and Lea. The mother was tending to her sick child who had come down with a unknown contagious sickness. Ji and Koko had been moved from the room they shared with her to Anata and Ula's room that now occupied 4 chidren instead of just 2.

"Where are you going today daddy?", Ula asked.

"I'm going off to BingHe today for some business work"

"Can I come with you dad?", Ji asked wide- eyed and hopeful.

"Not today Ji"

"Aww"

"Daddy are the Watertribe people going to be there today?", Koko suddenly asked curiously.

"I believe so"

"What do they look like?"

"Deep blue eyes, brown hair, tan skin"

"Like Thalassa?", Anata asked but Li wasn't able to anwser that because a few moments later a voice was heard from the living room.

"I'm back"

Thalassa called as she walked into the kitchen.

"Where were you this morning?"

"Uh doing what I do every morning collecting eggs just today there are none"

"Really?"

"Mmh"

"How's Lea?", Li asked his wife, who had just walked out of the older childens room. She looked up at him sadly and replied "Not any better than she was a few days ago".

"Well is there anything that can be done?"

"Not that I know of all we can do is hope"

"Is there a healer close by? What about Ming? she's experienced with medicine"

"She won't be back from Gaoling for another week", Ambika replied sadly.

"Well while I'm gone I'll see if I can find someone who can help"

"I hope so . . ." she trailed off.

"Well I better be going" Li said to no one in paricular and gave gave his wife a quick peck on the lips before leaving Ambika and Thalassa waving goodbye. The little children thou all grimaced.

"Ew Gross!", all the young children said in unison while Thalassa just sat staring off into space.

"I wish I could see a water tribe member", Ji mumbled to himself a few minutes later.

"Huh?", Thalassa asked.

"O dad said that there'll be members from the watertribe at BingHe today"

"Really", she asked curiously, turning to Ambika who was over by the sink. She meerly nodded yes in assurence. Thalassa soon became interested to see these watertribe members for herself and made a mental note to ask Li about them later when he came back home. After Breakfast she annouced she was going to go out for a little while.

"I'll be back later", Thalassa called and hurried out the house.

"Be back in a few hours!", Ambika called after her.

"Ok I will"

Little did she know she wouldn't be home till much later.

**That Afternoon . . .**

Having deciding to not visit or go hang out with her two friends Rere and Lilia she walked threw the forest bored. Though keeping an ear and eye out for Shan. After wandering for a little while and having nothing to do Thalassa decided to go investigate and find out about these Watertribe visitors in Binghe.

"I'm sure everyone won't mind if I'm gone for a few hours", she told herself and began walking towards BingHe, "Just a quick look around and I'll head back".

As she walked threw the forest she began to talk to herself outloud which she was prone to do when she was bored and found herself placing a hand on her necklace.

"I wonder what BingHe will be like? Ji said something about Watertribe people being here today for somesort of trading"

She stopped before continuing onward.

"I sure hope Li isn't going to be there today I don't really want to get lectured about wandering to another town"

Then she thought about it.

"No never mind the lecture I just want to get away from Shan"

After at least an hour or so of walking she came upon the town of BingHe. It was much bigger than her village with twice as many people. That's when something caught her eye 2 watertribe ships were docking just then.

_'Ji was right they are here today!'_, she thought excited.

Thalassa sat hidden in the woods and stared in aw at the 2 watertribe ships at the dock. From what she could remember she had never seen a watertribe ship in her life and she thought they were amazing.

'_Wow'_, she thought in amazement _'I've never seen anything like this before!'._

She watched a group of watertribe men walk down one of the planks and into town carrying crates and such. They all looked familiar but she couldn't put her finger on why.

'_They look like me!'_, she thought shocked. It was true all the men had blue eyes, tan skin, and chocolate brown hair just like her.

The men dispersed into the town after a while to go take care of what ever business they were here for carrying crates with them.

After a few moments curiosity got the best of her and she emerged from the forest and approached the ships eyes wide in amazement. They were much bigger than she thought and then began wondering which pole these men were from.

'_Most likely the south'_, she thought to herself while walking along the shore and starring up at its bow. Deciding to take a risk she walked along the dock and starred up at side of the ship it was big to her though to some it was rather small. Then without thinking she took two steps up the ramp . . . .

"Hey kid! What do you think our doing?"

Thalassa jumped in surprise and turned quickly to face a watertribe man in his early 30's walking up to her. She stared up at him, wide- eyed and frozen in place.

"Well you trying to little miss sneak and get onto our boat!?"

She could only shake her head quickly.

"What seems to be the matter here Botan?"

Thalassa heard a man from behind the man who must be Botan ask, in a semi deep voice that she sort of recognized. And a few seconds later a middle aged man possibly in his late 40's early 50's with a burnt arm walked up beside Botan.

"I caught this girl trying to get aboard our ship", Botan said pointing to her, but the man didn't look at her.

"I . I wasn't . . .", she stuttered but couldn't find the words.

Then the man turned to face her he stared at her for a moment before his stern expression turn to shock and disbelief, his eyes widened as if recognizing her.

"Impossible", she heard him say softly.

Thalassa could only look wildly from one man to another a look of both confusion and fright in her eyes. How could they possibly know her? It's not like she was a member of the Watertribe? Or was she? She didn't know all she knew and wanted was to get out of here to avoid trouble but apart of her wanted to stay and find out what this man was talking about. Thou her fright over took her curiosity.

The man with the burnt arm took a few steps closer to her while she backed up a few steps up the ramp scared.

"Who are you?" she asked bravely and obviously shocking him with her question for he looked a little taken aback.

"Don't you know who I am?" he asked shocked.

Thalassa merely shook her head, her Ocean blue eyes wide and shown with fear.

"No I do not", she replied boldly, "I barely even know who I am", she confessed while subconciously holding a hand up to the Watertribe pendant around her neck.

"I just can't believe you're alive", he muttered under his breath.

"What!?"

"Nothing, nothing" , he said quickly not wanting to scare her.

The 15 yr old then looked past the 2 men and towards the village and tried to figure a way out and suddenly spotted Li.

"O no", she said out loud _'I sure hope he hasn't seen me because if he's sees me he's me here I'm in serious hot water'._

The 2 men turned too see what she was staring at. Taking her chance she darted past the two men and back into the forest not looking back just kept running. She could've sworn she heard the burnt armed man shout _'Katara!' _but she just pushed it aside.

**Back on the Deck . . .**

Bato stood watching as the girl, he realized was Katara, ran into the forest and out of his sight. As she ran past he spotted a horrible scar mostlikely from a burn similar to his arm on one of her legs as her her dress lifted slightly. Once she was out of sight Botan looked at him confused before asking.

"Bato do you know that girl?

"I think that was Hakoda's daughter"

"You can't be serious! She's dead", Botan cried in disbelief.

"I know I thought so to but its got to be, it has to be", he began then added sadly , "but she didn't remember me . . . why didn't she remember me?"

"So what do we do?"

"I don't know, Botan I really don't know"

**Later . . .**

"Now where have you been all day young lady?"

Ambika demanded once Thalassa walked into the house. She turned around quickly to come face to face with a very unhappy woman, 2 feet away from her, her arms were crossed and her foot taping impatiently.

"O I was around", Thalassa lied trying her best to sound convincing and innocent even though she knew she was a terrible liar. Ambika obviously figured that out pretty quickly.

"Thalassa", she said sternly "Its after dark and I know for a fact that you weren't around because Ji and Koko asked everyone in town if they had seen you, not even Rere and Lilia knew where you were!".

The 15 yr old could only hang her head guiltily.

"Do you have any idea how worried I was about you? Do you ?! Your 15! do you not understand what could have happened to you?!"

She merely nodded.

"I understand Ambika", she replied "its just . . ." she trailed off unable to think of the right words to say.

"Just what? What happened Thalassa? because normally your never this late"

Just as she was about to anwser Li came into the house.

"Honey I'm…", he began then stopped when he noticed his very annoyed wife and the upset Thalassa who was looking at him from over her shoulder her ocean blue eyes dull and downcasted.

"What's going on in here?"

"Someone decided to play a disappearing act today", Ambika replied looking at the young teenager who avoided both there gazes "By any chance did you see her today?"

"Yeah I saw her with two older Watertribe men over on the dock to one of there ships I was going to go over but she ran off"

"Two older Watertribemen!" Ambika cried then suddenly realized something and cried out again angrily, "Thalassa you were a whole town away!".

"Well I . . .", she began and knowing she couldn't lie about this because she'd be in worse trouble. She looking down to the floor guiltily confessed quietly"Yes".

"Thalassa what were you thinking anything could have happened to you!"

"I know, I know . . . its just one of those men I . . . ", she trailed off.

"You what?", Ambika insisted.

"One of them . . . he knew me" she replied in a small voice.

"Did you know him?"

"Sort of"

"Sort of? Thalassa . . ." Ambika sighed.

"I know . . . I know maybe he was trying to play with my mind but I don't think he was. . ." Thalassa thought for a moment before asking her voice full of hope, "Do you think that possibly that man and I might be . . . related?".

"I don't know Thalassa, I really can't answer that"

"Mommy?"

Came a small voice from behind. Everyone turned to find it was Anata.

"Anata I thought I'd put you to bed?"

The little girl just looked up at her mother and said while holding her stomach, "My stomach hurts mommy and my head to".

Ambika walked over to the little girl who was visibly shaking and bent down to her level. She placed a hand of the girls forehead to find it was burning up.

"How long have you been feeling like this?", her mother asked urgently.

"All night"

"Come on lets get you to bed", she picked up the small child and began walking out of he room before she stopped and turned to Thalassa and said "I'll deal with you later", and walked out. Leaving the 15 yr old in her husband in the living room.

"So who were those men anyway?", Li suddenly asked.

Thalassa turned to face him and replied "I don't know who the nice one was but the mean was his name is Botan, I heard the man with the burnt arm call him that".

"Man with a burnt arm?"

"Yeah he's the one who knew me"

"Did he say he knews you?"

"Not exactly", she said unsure.

"Then how do you know he knew you?"

"Well I recognized him . . somewhat"

Thalassa suddenly remembered a name she thought she heard him say while calling after her when she ran off.

"He called me something a name, I just don't remember", she whispered to herself.

"What'd you say?"

"O nothing", she yawned.

"Well I think its time for bed", Li suggested "We'll continue this discussion in the morning".

"Ok", she replied quietly and walked to her room.

* * *

What will Bato do? Are Anata and Olivia going to be alright? and what will happen to the rest of the family? and town? Will Ming be able to help, or did Li find another person to help?

Please review

Chapter 6 is finally up after what 2-3 months! And no I'm not dead. I had a bad writers block and am now continueing this story. I was hopeing to get this up before the end of Avatar sadly it never happened. I haven't forgotten about this story. Now here's the long awaited chapter 6 (sorry its kind of short):

Enjoy!

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**Chapter 6: The Unkown Family reunion**


	11. Chapter 7: Uneventful Travels

I'm sorry about the long weight with this chapter I've been delaying sorry and I didn't realize the repeat for a while until I read one of the comments thanks to JadenG for pointing that out. Anyway for those who've read this before the mess up you might find it slightly different because the whole memory for the last one was erased so I had to start from scratch and and try to remember what it had previously been about. sadly having to come back and work on this made me have to put a hold on chapters 8 and 9 that are in the makeing but I'll be working on in the near future.

Now for those who are going to be confused with this chapter coming up please read here the explanation if you had missed it before:

**The, Aang, Sokka and Toph part coming up, takes place on the same day as the last part after them below. The previous parts with the three of them all take place are on the day Thalassa/ Kataraa runs into Shan the 2nd time and is forced to cut her hair thats like Chapter 2, big time gap I know. as for the 2nd part Thalassa/Katara's part just continues onward and now there finally caught up.**

Enjoy!

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**Chapter 7: Uneventful Travels**

The following morning after Thalassa encounter with the Watertribe men the house hold was quieter than normal. Anata had been moved in with Lea after coming down with the same illness. This left her parents very worried and they prayed that no one else in there small family would come down with it.

Everyone except Ambika, was at the table eating breakfast: Ji, Koko, Ula, Thalassa, and Li. This is while Ambika was busy in the kitchen. The three youngest were placed in little rockers by the kitchen silently resting like every morning after having been fed.

"So where are you going today?", Ambika asked her husband once she walked into there small dinning room and sat down.

"O I was planning on staying home today and work on the farm" he replied.

"O alright", his wife said simply before adding "I hope your planning on fixing that old loft because I don't like the idea of the children having to up there in case it'll fall".

As the adults talked and the youngest chattered and pigged out on there food Thalsassa remained silent her mind unable to leave or forget the previos day._'Who were those men?'_, she questioned herself as she slowly ate her food. She then began to relieve the previous days encounter in hopes of figuring out what it all meant.

**_Flashback . . . _**

_"Hey kid! What do you think our doing?"_

_I jumped at the sudden sharp voice behind me and whirled around to come find a man in his early 30's stalking up to me. I stared up at him, wide- eyed and frozen in place, to scared to move._

_"Well you trying to be little miss sneak and get onto our boat!?"_

_I shook my head quickly. _

_"What seems to be the matter here Botan?"_

_A semi- deep voice ask from behind the man who must be Botan, I don't know how to explain it but I sort of recognized that voice it was very familiar but yet distant and un-familiar at the same time. A few seconds later a middle aged man possibly in his late 40's early 50's with a burnt arm walked up beside Botan. Now he was even more familiar than before but I couldn't figure out how I couldn't possibly know him, could I?_

_"I caught this girl trying to get aboard our ship", Botan said pointing an excusing finger at me, but the strange man didn't even turn to look at me._

_"I . I wasn't . . .", I stuttered unable to find the right words. _

_That's when the man turned to face me and I shifted nervously under his gaze as he seemed to be examining me. I watched as his stern expression turned to one I never would of have expected, shock and disbelief. _

_"Impossible", I heard him say softly._

**End of Flashback . . ****.**

_'What could that mean?'_, Thalassa asked herself.

**Flashback . . .**

_"Who are you?" I asked in the bravest voice I could muster. I watched as he appeared to be even more shocked and seemed somewhat tak4en aback especially when he asked me in what appeared to be covered up disbelief:_

_"Don't you know who I am?"_

_I merely shook my head and replied boldly, __"No I do not". I didn't even realize my hand had made ait way up to the pendant around my neck as I confessed softly "I barely even know who I am"._

_That's when I barely heard him say __"I just can't believe you're alive"._

_I snapped my head up, eyes open in confusion and a little shock as I cried out:_

_"What!?"_

_"Nothing, nothing" , he said quickly._

**End of Flashback . . .**

'_What does that mean I had died, No! he must of mistaken me with someone else . . . but still . . .' _Thalassa asked herself as her thoughts trailed off. But her thoughts where soon interrupted by Koko and Ji who were arguing over the last pancake.

"I want the last one!"

"No I want it!"

"I WANT IT!"

"Well I'm hungrier than you" Koko cried back in protest.

"That's not even a word!", Ji cried.

"Yea huh"

"Nu uh"

"Is too"

"Is not!"

"Is too"

"Is-not!"

"Children!" Ambika barked silencing the two siblings almost immediately.

"Mommy can I have the wast one, pwease?" Ula asked in a small polite voice.

"Yes you may sweetheart" and she gave the little girl the last one.

"Thank you Mommy", the 3 ½ yr old said sweetly.

"You welcome sweetie"

"But Mom?!", the two oldest whined in unison.

"No buts", she said sternly "she asked for it and since you both were fighting now you both get none".

The two sulked as there parents went back to there conversation. Ula flashed a triumphant smile at her older siblings before beginning to eat her food.

"Little sneak", Ji whispered.

**Meanwhile . . . **

It was a quiet peaceful morning just a little bit before sunset so the sky was painted in an array of many different colors of orange, pink, yellow and red. Everyone aboard Appa lay fast asleep. Sokka was sprawled out in the back of the saddle snoring, while Aang was curled up on the bisons head with momo resting on the side of him and Toph was resting against the side of the saddle.

The first one to awake however was Momo who wanted to play and be pet so first he went to Aang the cosest member of the group to him and began licking his face.

"Uh Momo not now", Aang groaned and turned over to the other side "Its to early".

Seeing that his master didn't want to be bothered the lemur jumped up onto the saddle and that's when he spotted a fly buzzing around. So he began pawing at it and jumping up and down trying to catch it. In process however he jumped on Sokka whom was awoke from a deep sleep and cried:

"Flying Sausages!"

The outbursts awoke Aang who jumped over in alarm and looked over Appa's head he grew annoyed at the sight before him. Sokka was is some stupid wacky Kung- fu action pose and a foot away from his was Momo who was on his toes, ear back, and fur standing straight up. If he wasn't so tired he would have laughed.

"Huh? wha . . . wheres is it?", Sokka stuttered looking around stupidly.

"CAN'T YOU GUYS BE QUIET FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES!" the earthbender bellowed from the far side of the saddle "MY GOSH, I MEAN WHAT DOES A GIRL HAVE TO DO TO GET SOME PEACE AND QUIET AROUND HERE? WITH OUT SOMEONE YELLING _'FLYING SAUSAGES'_OR SOME OTHER STUPID THING, SPIRITS!", came a cry from a extremely cranky earthbender. She wasn't much of a morning person and didn't appreciate being awoken suddenly.

"Well arn't you cranky today"

"Shut up"

Came his reply as the earthbender slumped back and drifted back to sleep. That's when the airbender slipped back onto the bison's head now suddenly un-interested.

"Girls", the warrior mumbled.

**Sometime later . . .**

It was mid afternoon as the gang flew over the seemingly endless ocean and everyone was bored out of there mind just starring off into space. That's when a rumbled was heard.

"Snoozles was that your stomach again?"

"What I'm hungry"

"But your always hungry"

"We ran out of food"

"That's because you ate it all"

"Did not!"

"Yeah sure Sokka" Toph said obviously not listening before calling out "Hey Aang where's the closest Island? Snoozles over here ate all our food".

Aang then took out the map and took a quick look looked before replying "Shaoling".

"Good, besides I hope we find some evidence of this rebellion", she said in an annoyed voice "I mean its been a whole stinkin month and we found nothing out nothing new about it and we've already searched 4 islands already!"

"I sure hope theres a market there", Sokka added.

Aang turned back to the map and took a better look at Shaoling he found it was the second largest island in the FireNation besides Ember Island of course. But that wasn't what caught his attention, it was the read circle drawn around around it and the word _'Beware'._

"Hey guys?", he called.

"Yeah"

" Zuko wrote _'beware'_next to Shaoling and circled it in red", he replied concerned.

"Why do you think he did that?"

"I don't know but we better be careful", the Avatar warned.

"Finally some action", Toph cried happily.

**Earlier that Afternoon . . . **

'Thalassa?', a small distant voice called out and she thought she felt a hand rest on her shoulder.

"Thalassa?" the voice said again but must louder and the hand shook her gently.

"Thalassa?!", the voice repeated again this time much louder and the hand began to shake her harder.

"Uh", the 15 yr old groaned as she reluctantly opened her eyes. Without looking over she asked the person somewhat dreadfully "Did I sleep in again?".

"Yes you did", came the reply.

Thalassa let out an exasperated sigh of annoyance as she turned over on her back to come face to face with Ambika. It had been one week since her run in with the Watertribe men but she was so caught up in the daily routine and other things she could barely recall the encounter any way. She had been sleeping in a lot lately which she never does and Ambika and Li where becoming very concerned. They feared she had come down with the disease that turns out is very contagious and many now had come down with it not just in there town but in others as well. A little boy she had overheard had died from this a few towns away. Olivia, Anata and recently Kisa had contracted this disease and now slept in the same room to avoid spreading thou it didn't seem to work.

Thalassa insisted she was okay and that she wasn't sick because she was never tired or had any of the symptoms of the disease. These symptoms consisted of vomiting, rash, chills, sore throat, diarrhea, extreme pains in the chest and stomach and headaches which she rarely had, except when Kisa screamed thou everyone got a headache from her.

"At least its not that late", Thalassa said quietly while shifting her gaze to the window and saw blue skys.

"Actually its 11:30 in the afternoon"

"What?!", Thalassa cried and sat up quickly eyes wide as she turned to face Ambika her face disbelief.

She merely nodded.

Then the 15 yr old let out a groan of annoyance and fell back on her bed.

* * *

What's going to happen at Shaoling? and what's so special about it anyway? Are anyone else in the family or neighborhood come down with this disease? What's wrong with Thalassa/Katara? All are coming up. Also sorry about thew lack of action but don't worry there's going to be plenty coming up in the next 2 to 3 chapters.

Please review.


	12. Chapter 8: Terrors and News

I'm so sorry about the delay on this story but I am just so busy and I'm preoccupied with 3 other one shots I'm working on one includes the 2nd part to the two shot in my collections of one shots. Plus there's been a disinterest in writing this because of a major writers block. I know . . . I know you guys can be mad at me but I'm back with other chapters almost done. Chapter 7 was re posted so that's a plus. Chapter 9 and 10 are practically done and mostly likely be posted with in days. But that depends on my reviews.

Enjoy!

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_**Chapter 8: Terrors and News**_

_'Darkness was all around as two distant voices spoke in whisper:_

_" . . . . Sir she'll be dead by that time she can barely even support herself now"_

_"What are you getting at?"_

_"What I'm saying is I think we should just take the girl and use her to get hat we want now since she's the . . ."_

_The room was dark except the glow of fire the now lit up one side of a earth wall. A girl gave a yelp of pain as she slammed against the wall of a cave, and fell face first into the dirt floor. Her long chocolate brown hair was mangled and sprayed over her body and face. She rose slowly and looked up to find the figure shaped as a man approaching her she stared at him fearfully, lifting her shaking form up to her feet but as she tried to stand her legs collapsed from underneath her sending colliding with the dirt ground once again. It appeared that her arms and legs were severely burned and infected wound rested in the center of her chest. Her clothes were ragged and torn it was to dark to see the color. Wincing her attention immediately turned to the the man who grabbed her roughly by the the neck of her shirt and thrust-ed her against the wall._

_Everything went black before another scene came into the view._

_The girl was shown being shoved to the ground landing with a loud thud her sides were bloody and raw looking, her back now had a long streak down it, sobbing uncontrollably as she coughed up a little bit of blood. Her face was pressed up against the dirt ground now a little biloody, her fist tightened so much they were white, and her body stiff and tense as if awaiting another blow. A blow that soon followed and landed hard and ruthless against her stiff and sore back causing her to jolt, this which was soon followed by another, after, another after another. With each blow it was followed by a blood- curdling scream. The soldier's cruel laugh echoed throughout the room almost as much as the girl's screams pleads and sobs. . .'_

**End of Dream . . .**

_"_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

Thalassa's scream echoed through the small farm house. The 15 yr old jolted up in her bed into a sitting position, dripping with sweat, breathing heavily, and clutching her blankets. Her body shook as fresh tears fell to the blanket sheets. Her semi short hair, which now was 5 inches from her shoulders, clung to her body.

_'It was so real, it was so real'_ she repeated in her head, _'It was to be real that girl looked just like me it has to be me'._

The 15 yr old barely heard the crys and sound of frantic footsteps making there way to her room all she heard was the hearty-retching screams that were hers echoing in her ears.

**That afternoon thousands of miles away . . .**

"There it is!", Aang cried suddenly. The gang had been flying for a few hours or so and they all were bored. Sokka looked over the bison's head to see the outline of a massive island floating on the water. As they grew closer a large mountain top surrounded by a large forest covered most of the land on the western side. To the east was a large town.

"Lets stop there, there bound to have food!", Sokka cried happily.

"You and your food", Toph was heard from the back of the saddle.

**20 minutes later . . .**

"This place if huge!", Sokka marveled at the many tall buildings and shops in the area. People were rushing about.

"Definitely", Aang agreed, "Almost as big as the imperial city".

The 13 yr old Avatar wore his old Fire Nation disguise complete with the hat. He didn't want anyone to know who he was because the last thing he wanted was people staring, and shouting things such as:

"Hey its the Avatar"

"Look the Avatar"

"Is that the Avatar?"

Especially he didn't want to draw the attention of fan girls especially not them. Sokka and Toph both wore there Fire Nation disguises for the same reason Aang wore his they wanted to blend in and not be noticed for they were here for information on the rebels the last thing needed was attention or blown cover.

"Ok I'll have that, that, that and . . ." the warrior pauses to look at some strange fruit it was orange and spiked like "O whats this it looks good. . Ok I'll take this to".

"You and your food"

"Hey I'm starving! Ooh they have fire flakes!"

Toph just rolled her eyes.

While Sokka was busy buying food and other assortments and Toph by his side telling him what a pig he was, Aang walked around the town square trying to look for anything suspicious. But nothing appeared so, the people were all take active and happy, nothing unusual here.

As he was walking he accidentally bumped into a stand.

"Oof!"

"Are you Ok young man?", he heard a older woman's voice ask him. Getting up while rubbing his sore head he replied sheepishly, "Yeah I'm Ok".

That's when she gasped "Your the Avatar!".

Aang swiftly grabbed his fallen hat and placed it on top of his head hoping no one else had seen, thankfully, for him, they didn't.

"What can I do for you young avatar?", she asked bowing.

"O please don't bow", he told her politely in a quiet voice and smiled "You can just call me Aang" he was hoping she would get the idea. Thankfully she did.

"I was hopeing . . ."

"Hey Aang look what we got!"

"I had to talk him out of buying the whole stand"

The airbender turned to find his friend with a armful of bags. He placed them down once noticing the older woman.

"As I was saying has anything unusual or weird happening been going on here?"

"Well actually things have been happening", she began "well not now but a month or so after the end of _'The Great War'_ was announced over weird things began going on in that forest over there", she turns to look at the forest.

"What kinds of things?"

She replies "Since I live near the forest me and my husband began hearing a girls screams coming from somewhere out there in the forest it stopped a couple of months ago thou".

"A girl?", Sokka asks suddenly concerned.

The women nodded "Horrible torturous screams, we told the authorities, but nothing came up".

"Did they search the woods?". Aang asked curiously.

"Yes many times but nothing ever came tho . . ."

"That's strange"

"Yes very" Sokka agrees while pondering on what the woman had just informed them on. He thanked the woman for the information. She bowed and told them anytime.

**Later after the gang had placed there supplies at camp and walked off into the woods. . .**

The trio made there way down the forest path up towards the mountains were the woman had describd to them. They were determined to find out the reason and they each new it was rebel related.

"What could that possibly mean?" Toph asks aways down the forest path.

"I don't know? but if the authorities really search, something would have turned up because things like that can't possibly go unnoticed or cared about" Sokka said.

"Unless the aurthorties are connected to whomever was behind the girl screams" Toph reasoned.

"I don't know for sure but something isn't right about this place", Aang added.

"Yeah", Sokka replies then adds "Lets search the woods and see if anything turns up".

"Alright . ."

"Ok . ."

These were the warriors only two replies before the trio separated and went there separate ways. Sokka walking straight, Toph to the mountain, and Aang in some random direction opposite of Sokka.

**Meanwhile . . .**

"Thalassa? . . . Thalassa? . .Thalassa?!"

The 15 yr old just up in suprising breaking out of her thought and turned to face her friend Rere.

"O hey Rere", she said happily.

"I haven't seen you in a while where have you been?"

"O around, Lea, Anata, and Kisa are all still sick"

"O I heard about that, it must be the epidemic"

"Probrably . . ." she trailed off and sighed "I hope Ming will get here soon".

"I heard she out in Gaoling"

"What for?" Thalassa asked curiously, then without thinking or even knowing what she was saying asked, "Isn't that were Toph lives?".

"Yeah it is"

"Anyway Ambika wants me back at the farm by noon to help around the house, its a handful with the little ones sick"

"Yea it must be . . . What about Aunt Chi?"

"She off selling food today at the market in BingHe"

"O, Ok then see ya"

"See ya"

The two went there separate ways Rere to the market and Thalassa back through the forest trails. The 15 yr old walked past the Ling's home no one appeared to be home so she kept walking. Ever since the epedemic broke out everyone was taking prcautions. Many kept to there homes and wouldn't let there children outside or such and such things.

About a minute later after passing the Ling's she turned the corner and looked up through the woods she could almost make out the plain where the farm house was. SHe took a few steps forward only to get the feeling she was being watched. Her blood began to pound in her head, she always hated this feeling because she always got it while walking alone in the woods.

Most of all because it had been excactly a month and a half since Shan had bothered the come after her and she suspected nayday now he'd come searching for her. She had heard from Ji and Koko that he was already asking about her around town.

Turning around she looked back and surveyed woods nothing was there just thebirds, trees bushes and other animals of the forest.

"I'm being silly", she told herself and turned back around.

That's when a rustle was heard from behind her.

This caused her to whirl back around quickly, nothing was there. SHe stood facing the opposite way for a few more moments not hereing the quiet footsteps making there way from behind, towards her.

**Some time later to Toph . . .**

The earthbender made her way up towards the mountain searching for any signs of suspicion such as footsteps or such. None however turned up. She had been walking for at least 30 minutes. and would have to track down the boys soon.

"I'm bored", she said to herself. She had given up searching for vibration s of sorts and just went with walking around waiting for something to turn up.

After awhile she gave up and went to tracking the boys down she found them not to far away.

"Did you find anything Toph?"

"No . . .", was her simple answer.

"Well then lets head back we'll search tomorrow"

While walking back Toph stepped on an object hidden under the leaves.

"What's this? it feels like a shoe" the earthbenders asks as she bent down to pick the object up.

"Let me see"

Toph handed the shoe over to Sokka who just looks it over and from the looks it was most likely old and was worn and torn in several spots by best guess was because of the weather. A faded brown in color probably due to being outside for so long and being covered from top to bottom in dirt. Turning the shoe over and brushing away all the dirt and leaves that covered it he feels a little sick at the sight of dried up blood. He examines it now and looking with just a little effort and was able to spot a faded half circle with a small swirl in the center. Colored with a light tint of blue that shown through the blood that stained it, but still able to be distinguished as the remains of a watertribe symbol! his eyes grew wide.

"Its Katara's'"Sokka said softly in disbelief.

"What!?", his two companions cried from behind him in absolute shock.

"Lets search the area", the warrior instructed in a urgent tone with a hint of desperation in his voice, and took off into the forest with his friends following behind him. Little did they know that after today nothing would ever be the same again.

* * *

Alright its finaly done! What will happen? and this is were the action begins. You'll find out why next chapter.

Please review!


	13. Chapter 9: Coming Closer

Alright chapter 9 is now official up and its only been a few days since the last one was published that's a new record for me! Anyway this is were the action begins.

Enjoy!

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**Chapter 9: Coming Closer**

_(Previously: __"I'm being silly", the 15y yr old told herself and turned back around._

_That's when a rustle was heard from behind her._

_This caused her to whirl back around quickly, nothing was there. She stood facing the opposite way for a few more moments not hereing the quiet footsteps making there way from behind, towards her.)_

Thalassa was just about to turn around when two arms came out of nowwhere from behind her and grabbed her. One grasping her hip the other by her neck grasping the side of her face.

"Well, well look who we have here", she heard an all to familiar voice say behind her, she could feel the person's hot breath on the back of her neck. The tone of his voice sent chills up her spine and her heart began to pound in fright which suddenly changed to anger.

"Shan", she hissed, and tried to wretch herself from his grasp that only tightened causing her to wince slightly.

**Thousands of miles away . . . **

The trio tracked trough the woods searching for anything that might give them a leadway. Toph after 10 minutes began feeling a large tunnel underground and all she need to do was find the entrance. After minutes of searching a large opening in the ground appeared before her.

"Hey come look what I've found!", Toph called to her friends who immediately came running.

"What is it Toph?", Sokka asked out of breath.

"A cave" and merely points to the large mouth of a cave.

"Come on lets go!", Aang cried and began sprinting to the mouth.

"I don't think that's such a good idea buddy", Sokka says stopping the excited airbender who turned around and looked at him puzzled.

"Why not?"

"What if there's something in there?"

"But this could our be our only chance to find her Sokka" Aang protested "I've waited almost a whole year praying that we'd find her ands this is our only lead if she's in there then . . .".

"Aang you think your the only one who misses sugar queen? we all do really! we do, but what if were just walking straight into a trap or someone's home like one of those bear creatures?" Toph says in a matter of fact tone.

"I'm going", Sokka suddenly replied causing Aang to smile and the two turned to Toph.

"Toph?"

"I'm coming. . . . I'm coming"

**Meanwhile . . . .**

"Miss me?", he said practically purring making her want to puck. She tried to turn her face away from his as his neared hers only to have it roughly turned back.

"What do you want? Haven't you already terrorized my life enough", she spat.

"I'm not trying to terrorize your life"

She struggled against his grasp grunting slightly at the effort and as he pulled her closer she could feel his fingernail's digging into her skin. She felt blood pulse in her head in a combination of the emotions fear and anger.

"Let me go Shan!", she ordered with as much force as she possibly could muster.

"Why would I? I would want to miss all the fun?"

The 15 yr olds eyes shot open wide and she felt herself panick. One thing ran through her mind _'she had to get away'_ and FAST!

**Back to the Gang . . .**

They entered the cave cautiously and calmed down when Toph told them nobody or nothing was here. It was pitch black inside so Aang lit a small fire in the palm of his hand to lit the way. The cave itself was very warm and the farther they walked the warmer it got. Suddenly Sokka spotted an unlit torch lying a few feet a way from them, so the airbender lit the torch and extinguished the small fire in his hands. Now the only light in the cave was the glow of the lit torch in Sokka's hand.

"How come this place is so dang hot?", Sokka complained while waving a hand in front of his face.

"I don't know maybe because we're in the Fire Nation and underground", Toph replies sarcastically.

The trio walked through the many hallways of the hide out looked into rooms. Most of the things were gone and the only things remaining were old crates and empty boxes of blasting jelly, besides that everything else had been removed including all evidence of there purpose and who they were, leaving the small group puzzled.

"What would Fire Nation rebels want with blasting Jelly?", Toph asked.

"I don't know but this can't be a good sign", Sokka replied while looking over one of the empty barrels.

"Its empty"

"What do you think it was used for?"

"I don't know, but I want to"

"Yeah and whatever the reason, it can't be good", Aang said in a worried tone "and what happened to Katara is my real concern".

After that the three friends continued to wonder aimlessly through the elaborate tunnels.

"Were are we going exactly?", Sokka asked.

"No idea", Toph replied.

"Its getting unbearably hot in here"

This was true for the deeper they got into the fortress the warmer it got.

"Hey guys? there's a large room coming up and I think there's a dangling cage in there, I can't tell", Toph said giving them a heads up.

"Then lets go! lead the way!", Sokka cried.

So Toph lead them down a series of more long tunnel ways until they were stopped by the smell off decayment or something that made there stomach churn.

"Ew what is that?", Toph cried wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"I don't know but lets check it out", Sokka replied while holding his nose with his free hand the torch in the other.

The group turned the corner and entered into a large room and from the dim light of the torch light they could just make out the shape of a large cage in the center of the room suspended 2 or 3 feet off the ground.

The trio walked slowly over to the cage and began inspecting it and to there horror and shock discovered tons of blood or dried up blood both in the cage and on the floor surrounding it. When they looked to the walls near by they discovered that some areas were blood covered to, the blood itself looked months old and was cracked and dark brownish red in color.

"Wow", Sokka breathed in amazement yet horror at the thought of whomever the victim was, must have suffered.

Aang whom was just as shocked as Sokka was also disgusted and horrified at the sight and could only imagine what must have had gone on in this large caged-cell room. But he also couldn't get over the familiarity of the room, he had seen this place or been here once before.

"How old do you think that is?", Aang asked.

"It appears to be many months old possibly 5 to 6 month possibly more", was his reply.

"Then why would it smell?"

"I really don't know? maybe because its so hot and humid down here", Sokka reasoned.

While in thought he placed a hand on one of the handle bars and a familiar ear piercing scream echoed his ears. At first he jumped back in shock, then he remembered, the first war room meeting with Zuko and Iroh! a curse ,the scream, the thud and the clanging of a metal door, then who would forget the crying.

"It all makes sense now", he said to himself out loud.

"What makes sense?", Sokka asked.

"This place its so familiar and I think I know why" Aang began then turned to him and asked "Sokka do remember what happened during the first meeting you know with Zuko and Iroh and how I kind of zoned out?".

"Yeah?"

"Well I think it was a vision from from the past"

"How so?"

"What I mean is I believe this is where Katara was kept no matter how sick looking this place is . . . the scream I heard was from a girl and we found her shoe in the woods so . . ."

"You can't be serious", Sokka says unconvinced "But still your the Avatar so . . .".

Toph who was just semi-listening to the two boys conversation she was mainly focusing on the fortress itself and searching for any remaining soldiers. Her attention turns immediately to the footsteps approaching!

_'Someones here!' _she screamed in her head. Whipping around violently she warns, interrupting Sokka's sentence:

"We're not alone!"

**Meanwhile . . .**

"You know what?"

"What?"

"Next time you decide to go terrorizing a village think twice before you do it!"

"Aw come on Commander? I could just look at them and they'd cower in fear of me"

"I don't care, don't do it again!"

"Fine"

After a few minutes of walking and silence:

"Are we there yet?"

"Yes we're there"

"Its so small", the first soldier commented at the sight of the dock and various buildings and market places.

"That's why this is called a small fishing town"

"I thought it was called BingHe?", the second man replied stupidly.

"How'd I get stuck with you two nitwitts anyway?!"

"Uh the Boss told you to?" one replied dumbly.

"Shut up!"

"YesSir"

**To the Woods . . . **

Thalassa had successfully wretched herself from the 18 yr old's grasp and she darted into the forest. The 15 yr old weaved threw the forests trees, branches and other obstacles in her way. Her heart beating in her chest as she ran, and from behind her she could hear Shan running after her from behind.

The girl ran until she was at the cliff side and looking down at the water grave below. She turned to face him.

"Looks like there's nowhere for you to run", Shan laughed coldly. Thalassa bit her bottom lip and let out a small whimpering/ groan type noise. She backed up a little bit not removing her eyes from the boy infront of her for a second, then turned her back to him and stared down to the watery grave below.

The 15 yr old watched the crashing waves, heard the roar as each wave crashed into the rocky cliff side and felt sea water spray her face. Her blood pounded in her ears in fright. Then something hit her and she began to wonder suddenly forgetting her fear and the predicament.

_'Where have I seen this before?'_

As she stood there staring down at the ocean, Shan slowly crept up behind her.

**Flashback . . .**

_Everything whizzed by her in a whirl._

_It was dark out with the exception of a full moon shining threw the thick cloudy night sky and lit up her surroundings in a golden- silver silhouette. Rain was coming down on her blurring her vision even more and several rumbles could be heard above. The trees of the forest whizzed by in a blur she tripped over a few times and slipped on the muddy ground but pressed on quickly, twigs and leaves crunching under her feet while she ran._

_Before she knew it she was staring down a huge cliff and down to the ocean depths below. The waves crashing against the rocky bottom sounding like fire bombs and explosions to her ears. As she turned around quickly she saw a blur in her sight which when came into focus was a fire nation soldiers approaching her._

_Then. . . ._

****

_End of Flashback . . . ._

Thalassa's eyes widened in shock 'O no!', she panicked and whirled around only to be caught in a strong grip.

* * *

O the suspense its just a killer huh? Nows here's some action. Who's in the cave with the gang? and what's going to happen to Thalassa/Katara? Look's like those soldiers are coming pretty close to Thalassa/Katara's town the question what'll happen when they find her? You'll just have to wait and see. Please reply for next chapter.


	14. Chapter 10: The Incident and New Inform

Chapter 10 is up and its only been like week or so since my last submission its a miracle!

Ok this updates finally here. The reason why this one didn't take as long as some others is because the last three had kind of been prewritten and I just fixed them up and added onto. Now the part coming up with Thalassa/Katara has been planned to happen on this very chapter since the time this story was created.

So to add after this part I will be making up as I go I've had many plans and ideas for what will happen once the soldiers discover her existence. For those that are wondering they will discover her in the next 2-4 chapters coming up so that should be interesting. As of what'll happen is pure speculation for me. I'll write as I go and try to find the best idea that goes.

Sorry the chapters kind of short.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 10: The Incident and New Information**

With one swift movement, Toph bent the stranger into view, only seconds later a loud thump and a deep voiced cry was heard and a man appeared out of the ground. A Fire Nation soldier!? The soldier looked around frantically and confused and stared up at the 3 friends with shock and slight fear. They couldn't tell but by the fire light the man appeared to be about in his mid 30's by best guess. Dressed in local authority armor and clothing he appeared to be one of the villagers?

Instinctively and fueled by rage and determination Sokka grabbed the man up by the neck and slammed him into the wall of the cave. The strange flinched at contact.

"Who are you!", the warrior demanded "and what are you doing here!?".

The man slowly looked up to come face to face with a outraged warrior and just blankly stared at him not saying anything.

"I said who are you? and what are you doing here?!" the 16 yr old repeated fiercely.

"I.I am L.Lee" the man finally stuttered a hint of fear in his voice.

"Where is SHE?!", Aang suddenly roared from behind Sokka, a flash of rage and anger shown in his eyes he almost appeared desperate but in a dangerous kind of way.

"Who?"

"Katara!"

"I. I don't know", he stuttered suddenly terrified.

"Your lying!"

The man paused then suddenly realized whom they were referring to that girl they had held prisoner for a few months. That's when he realized whom he was talking to, that boy in the back was the Avatar he could tell as he caught a glimpse of the arrow by the fire light.

"Y.our t,the the A.avatar?!", the man stuttered in pure disbelief.

"Your getting off topic", Sokka reminded him darkly, tightening his grip.

The man stuttered out a reply quickly,"I. I'm serious she e.escaped over 10 months ago, n.no one knows where she c.could be"

"How do I know your telling the truth? How do I know your not lying to me now!"

"He's telling the truth twinkletoes", the earthbender replied from a little farther back.

The warrior released his grip as he thought for a moment then tightened it again as he demanded "How'd she escape?".

"I wasn't there I . I don't know what happened"

"That's not the full truth he's not telling us everything!"

The young Avatar and warrior looked at Toph as she spoke then turned there gaze back at him, glaring at the man with anger and hate.

"OK. . . OK she didn't just run off ok", the soldier confessed "she actually was cornered at the edge of the cliff during a terrible storm and the end collapsed, no ones sure if she even survived. But if she did she'd be somewhere on the island or the Fire Nation". He added muttering under his breath "Thou I bet she didn't even survive a week at the state that girl was in before she left".

"What'd you just say?"

"Nothing!"

**Meanwhile . . .**

Thalassa struggled in the strong grasp and looked up to come face to face with Shan.

"Thought you could get away that easily", he taunted. The 15 yr old gulped but didn't dare move knowing her position and the wrong movement could cause the ledge to collapse send both of them into the watery grave below. Shan was also aware of there current situation, seemed to sense her uneasiness.

Thalassa watched him as he began to eye her necklace and she felt herself grow fearful.

"What a pretty necklace" he said plainly but she could sense there was something in his voice that sent off warning bwells in her ears. Then he added questioning "Where'd you get it?".

"I don't know", the 15 yr old answered not knowing what else to do.

"O come on that things got be worth a fortune you've had to have gotten it from somewhere"

"I'm telling you the truth, I can't remember"

"Then you stole it", he accused her.

"I did not!"

"Then how come that Katara girl had one just like it", he said darkly.

"What Katara girl?", she asked while squirming a little.

"A . a I wouldn't move if I were you", he taunted as he tightened his grip on her wrists and she gasped slightly. Then he moved his mouth close to ear sending a shiver up her spine in fear as she tensed up. That's when he whispered "Or there could just be an accident", and pulled his head back. He saw the fear in her eyes that flashed there and he watched has she attempted to hid it from her face but her ocean blues told everything. The 18 yr old suddenly asked:

"What are you talking about?"

"W.what?", she stuttered taken slightly a back.

"How could you possibly not know who that watertribe girl is?"

"Not everyone has to know!", she shot back.

"Yeah only mentally challenged"

"I am not!"

"O yea, that stupid little Lea girl is"

"Don't you talk about Lea that way!" Thalassa shouted defending the 7 yr old "She's just different and learns things slower then other kids! Its not her fault!".

"I can talk about whomever I want to in whatever way I want to!", he spat in her face angrily while he dug his fingernails into her wrists. The 15 yr old gasped in pain and began struggling, in a vain attempt to escape while the 18 yr old only dug his nails deeper into her skin and soon enough began drawing blood.

"Stop Please! Stop It! Please Let Me Go! LET ME GO!" Thalassa practically screamed now tears burning the sides of her face as she kept trying to rip free of his grasp. The 15 yr old no longer cared of where they stood nor did she seem to care that she could fall of the edge. All that mattered was the increasing pain and blood seeping out onto Shan now bloody nails. She felt her legs began to feel as if they would collapse from underneath her. As a last resort she kneed him with all her strength between the legs.

Shan cried out in pain and flung Thalassa several feet away from the cliffs edge sending her tumbling onto the hard, dirt ground. She landed with a loud thump and hissed in pain as dirt got into her fresh wounds. Then curled up into a ball pressing her wrists up against her stomach, trying to dull the pain and squeezed her eyes shut while clenching her teeth.

In the distance she thought she heard a gasp and the rustle of leaves but she shook it off. After a few moments she opened her eyes once again to find Shan standing up and glowering at her in hate.

"Why you little son of a", he hissed angrily and she saw his eyes were black with rage. She back-peddled away just in time to avoid a painful blow to the ribs. The 15 yr old let a out a high pitched screech as Shan's foot missed her face by and inch.

"No ones here to save you girl", Shan said his voice dark, with venom showing clear in his voice and he stood over her. Thalassa, who was positioned so she was on her back with her elbows propping her up, felt as if her heart thumping out of her chest as she starred up at him in fright. Her eyes were wide as she looked at him, fear shone through them and was written all over her face and this time she didn't try to hide it.

"I'll show you what happens when you refuse to Listen!", and in one swift movement yanked Thalassa necklace off of her neck and stood back up. The 15 yr old grew panicky and jumped up in an attempt to grab it but he kept it out of her reach.

"Give it back Shan!"

"What if I don't want to"

"Please I'll do anything you say! Just please give it back its all I have left", she pleaded.

"I think its to late for that", he said darkly and smirked an evil smirk. Thalassa panicked knowing what he was going to do but before she could do anything he tossed it over to the cliffs ledge.

Thalassa frantically attempted to grab it in a hurry but her attempt was in vain. For she watched in horror as her most precious position plummet into the water and disappear from sight. She was beyond furious now and she didn't care what happened she had, had enough and he'd way gone to far this time.

**Back at the Cave . . .**

"Guys?"

"What is it now Toph your going to tell us you really believe his crazy story!", Sokka cried. As he spoke he kept him eyes on the soldier, that glared at the man like daggers.

"He isn't lying" Toph stated in a dark dead serious tone, "he's telling the truth".

The two boys turned to look at the earthbender, with expressions of pure horror written on there faces. The two boys suddenly had a bad feeling that this might be the end of the road like Katara might have drowned in the ocean. But they shook it off thinking that there has to be something else. That's when a important question came into there minds.

"Who's in charge?", Aang demanded suddenly.

The man stayed silent.

"Who Is in Charge!?", Sokka roared causing the man to flinch visibly.

"O, the boss" the soldier replied stupidly.

"Yes you nitwit! who's the boss?", Toph cried aggravated.

"I'm not telling", the soldier Lee stated gaining some courage. He had given them one to much information and knew that he'd have to keep his mouth shut about everything else. Then he added, "I'd be crazy to tell you that"

"You better if you want to live to see the sky again", Toph growled dangerously from behind Aang.

"If you ever want to see that watertribe girl again I wouldn't further the matter anymore", the soldier stated as a matter of fact without even thinking but by the time he realized what he had just said, it was to late.

"So you do know where she is!", Aang cried.

"She's not in the Fire Nation if that's what your thinking", the man added again without thinking.

"What are you talking about?", Sokka demanded.

"Either that or she drowned", the soldier Lee continued ignoring the warriors demanded question.

"Stop playing around I want you to tell me where my sister is Now!"

"The boss sent a group of his finest henchmen after her they already searched the Fire Nation thoroughly, she's not here", the man stated confidently suddenly smirking knowing or guessing that he had the upper hand.

"She's in the Earthkingdom then?"

"Possibly"

**Meanwhile . . .**

As she yelled and cursed she noticed Shan's triumphant and mocking smile had disappeared from sight and now was replaced with what looked like fear and shock, mostly shock. She ceased her yelling as she felt the air around decrease, it was getting colder?! then that's when she heard roaring of what sounded like a large wave. She turned around just in time to see a huge wave come crashing down on her and Shan.

"Aaaaaahhhh!", they screamed in unison as the huge wall of water came toppling on top of them. The last thing she remembered before losing consciousness was the roaring of the giant wave above before it crashed down full force. That's when everything around her became freezing cold and her body seemed to just go numb and she couldn't breath. . . . .

Then it went black.

* * *

Dun.. dun ... dun. Ok I know its very suspenseful. Thalassa/Katara just waterbended. The next chapter is probably going to center around her, maybe. . . actually I have something else planned its hidden somewhere in this chapter. That's unlike the last few chapters that mostly centered on Sokka, Toph, and Aang's adventure on ShiaoXing, which as you can see has just led to a huge break through. What will happen to Thalassa/Katara, and what will the trio do next? Stay tuned.

Please review


	15. Chapter 11: The Intruders part 1: Truth

I'm back after a few weeks of no submission. For those who are wondering there will be 2 parts to this: Chapter 11 being the intruders part 1: the truth and for spoilers chapter 12 will be called The Intruders part 2: Discovered.

In other news its finally a long chapter the next will be close to this in length.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 11: The Intruders part 1: The Truth **

"Where are we going?"

"To go find Mrs. Ling "

"Why, again?"

"Momma says shes got somethin to ask her"

"Like what?"

"How should I know? lets go!"

Ji pulled his older sister Koko behind as they ran through the woods past the Ling's, there cousins, Rere and Lilia's and across the bridge to the main square of there small fishing village on the eastern edge of the Earth Kingdom. On there way to the Ling's stand the two children ran into there friend Ping, one of the few people close to there age.

Ping is 9 yrs old, only 3 yrs older than Koko, with short ragged black hair and dark brown eyes with fair skin. He was only a few inches smaller than Koko but an inch taller than Ji. He wore a ragged brown shirt and black pants that barely went past his knees. Ping's father was a fishermen who made his living off catching fish and selling it in his town and other towns such as Binghe. Ping's mother was killed in the firenation burning of there town 5 yrs ago when he was only four, now he lives with his father and grandparents in a shack along the sea.

"Hey guys what'cha doin?"

"O Hey Ping", Ji greeted his friend happily, "We're on our way to find mom wants to speak to her about somethin".

"But I just saw her only a few minutes ago?" he replied confused "She said she was on her way to your place".

"She was?", Koko gaped.

Ping nodded "mmh, indeed she was, I saw your Aunty Chi go with her to"

"But then why would momma tell us somethin that wasn't true?"

"I don't know, parents do that to you sometimes when they don't want'cha around"

"Yeah . . . . maybe", Ji trailed off then protested "But then whats so important that we can't be around to hear it?"

Ping shrugged.

"How's your sisters feelin?"

"A little better Kisa still screams a lot, as always, Lea won't eat and the rests pretty much the same"

"Well anyway my dad wants me back at the docks by noon time so I better get goin", Ping said and turned and waved goodbye before running off:

"See ya!"

"We will"

**5 minutes later. . . .**

"So what do you think mom doesn't want us to hear?", Koko asked curiously on there way back at home.

"I don't know", Ji replied pondering "But do you think we really should go home? I mean she doesn't want us around for something".

"Na, lets just walk home slowly"

So the two children walked home slowly talking trying to pass the time but both agreed without Lea it was pretty boring. When they were at the turn to there home a voice rang out:

"Let me go Shan!"

It was Thalassa! The two looked around the curve to find both Shan and Thalassa. But what they saw wasn't something any 8 yr old would want to see. Shan had Thalassa pulled flush up against him, her back against his chest, one hand grasped her hip the other was by her neck grasping the side of her face.

"What's going on?", Ji asked yhis older sister.

"I don't know but whats Shan doing to Thalassa?"

They watched as Shan whispered something in the 15 yr olds ear causing a panicky expression to cross her face. She struggled for a little while until she managed to pry herself from Shans grip and ran off into the forest with Shan following close behind.

"What was that about?"

"I don't know?", Ji replied "but I don't think it was very good".

"Wanna follow them?"

"Shouldn't we tell mom?"

"No shes busy", Ji answered and ran off after the two teenagers his sister following close behind.

Two two ran threw the pine-forest, not realizing this was exactly where Shan had thrown Thalassa into a sap tree causing her to have to cut her hair. As they neared the cliff they heard voices so they knew they were getting close. When they were as close as possible they hid in a bush and listened and watched.

They saw Shan and Thasssa at the edge of the cliff, Thalassa facing the edge.

"How could you possibly not know who that watertribe girl is?"

"Not everyone has to know!", she shot back.

"Yeah only mentally challenged"

"I am not!"

"O yea, that stupid little Lea girl is"

The two kids gasped at what Shan had just said.

"Did he just call Lea stupid?"

"Why that little!"

"Ji stop they'll see us"

"Don't you talk about Lea that way!" Thalassa shouted defending there 5 yr old sister "She's just different and learns things slower then other kids! Its not her fault!".

"I can talk about whomever I want to in whatever way I want to!", he spat in her face angrily and they saw him dig his finger nails into her wrists as Thalassa gasped in pain and began struggling.

"Stop Please! Stop It! Please Let Me Go! LET ME GO!" Thalassa practically screamed now as she kept trying to rip free of his grasp. Ji thought he saw blood. They watched as Thalassa's legs began to tremble and they thought she was going to collapse. Instead she kneed Shan with all her strength between the legs.

The two children watched in horror as Shan cried out in pain and flung Thalassa several feet away from the cliffs edge sending her tumbling onto the hard, dirt ground. She landed with a loud thump and they heard her hissed in pain, then curled up into a ball pressing her wrists up against her stomach.

The two gasped in horror. They wanted to help but they were to stunned at what they were seeing and there minds seemed to be in hysterics. Ji almost fell over but stopped himself by grabbing a branch causing the bush to rustle slightly.

"Why you little son of a", they heard Shan hiss angrily and watched as Thalassa back-peddled away, while letting out a high pitched screech as Shan's foot just barely missed her face.

"No ones here to save you girl", Shan said in a dark voice, the two knew there friend was in serious trouble.

"We've got to help her!", Koko cried in a shout type of whisper.

"But they'll see us", Ji cried quietly, "Lets go get mom she'll know what to do!".

"But . . .", Koko tried to protest but Ji had already gotten up and started dragging her off into the woods as they ran they heard Shan yell:

"I'll show you what happens when you refuse to Listen!"

**To the Trail . . . .**

Li was on his way home after some disturbing news of firenation soldiers in Binghe after a young watertribe girl with a dragon scar. As he was walking he heard the voices of Ji and Koko coming from the forest. Suddenly they burst out of the underbrush and into the clearing. They looked panic stricken like they had seen a ghost.

"Daddy!", Koko cried when she saw him.

"What is it? wants the matter kids?", he asked worried bending down to there level.

"Thalassa, shes in trouble!", Ji cried scared.

"Where is she?", Li asked them urgently.

"At the cliff" and within a second Li was on his way towards the cliff telling the two kids to follow. They followed close behind as fast as there legs could carry them.

But by the time the three of them had arrived at the cliff side Shan was no where to be found and only Thalassa remained. The whole cliff side was drenched and covered in water.

"What happened?", Ji asked no one in particular lifting his foot up out of the new mud "Whys everything all wet".

"My new shoes are all muddy!", Koko cried.

Li however paid no attention to the twos minor complaints. All that mattered was the drenched girl lying on her side in the middle of the open. Her medium in length chocolate brown hair was sprayed over face and clung to her body along with her equally wet clothes.

"Thalassa?!", he called as he knelt beside her and he called her name a few more times while shaking her shoulder but she didn't as much as budge.

"It was Shan daddy, he did this to her!", Ji cried.

"Ji don't accuse people"

"But daddy me and Ji saw him he threw onto the ground and tried to kick her in the face"

"Kids lets deal with that later once we get back home ok", Li told them.

"Ok"

Li turned Thalassa over and placed one hand under her head an the other under her legs and lifted her up carefully. She groaned and berried her head in the crook of his shoulder.

"Come on kids lets go home", and the three made there way back towards the cabin while Li carried Thalassa back to the home.

The group arrived back at the logged cabin to find Mrs. Ling, Aunt Chi and Ambika in the living room.

"Well I certainly hope that Ming can . . . O my gosh!", Ambika cried suddenly when she noticed her husband carrying a wet and unconscious Thalassa in his arms Ji and Koko by his side "What happened!".

"It was Shan!", Ji cried accusingly.

"Ji please", his father said sternly.

"But dad we saw!", Koko protested "He was hurting her".

"The children don't know what they are saying Ambika, we all know Shan's an honest boy and would never stoop as low as to injure anyone especially a girl", Aunt Chi protested.

"It doesn't matter whos responsible right now", Ambika stated "All that matters is that we get her to bed and in some dry cloths before she catches a cold or that plague".

So she ordered the two children to remain in the room with Aunt Chi and the obeyed. She and her husband made there way to the 15 yr olds room. Li went to place her down on her bed but Amika told him not to. He looked at her confused but she explained that she'd get the bed all wet so her layed her on the ground and he handed her over to his wife, who began to remove her soaking and wet robes.

"What happened?", she asked him concerned.

"I have no idea all I know is that I was on my way back here from Binghe when Ji and Koko came out from the woods and began crying and telling me that Thalassa was hurt", he explained as his wife gently removed the 15 yr olds robe with the girls head still resting on her shoulder for support.

"Did they tell you what happened?" she asked him the both of them knowing clearly who they were, Ji and Koko.

"O yes", he began "All they told me was that they had seen Shan fling Thalassa to the ground and try to kick her".

"Do you believe them?", his wife asked him curiously while lying the 15 yr old down.

"Of course its just it doesn't seem like Shan, he's such a nice boy"

"I know, trust me I know, its just there's always been something eerie about that kid", Ambika confessed as she placed Thalassa soaking wet pants and robe aside.

As Ambika looked Thalassa over she noticed the girls wrists. When she lifted her hands up to inspect them the sight that greeted her was far from pleasant. There were deep cuts shaped in human finger nails digging into both of the girls wrists and blood was oozing from the spots slowly. She gasped and then began cleaning the girls wrists and bandaging them up.

"So how was Binghe?", Ambika suddenly asked as she wrapped a blanket around the teen and lifted her limp body onto the bed.

As if triggering something really important Li's eyes grew wide.

"Li? what's wrong what happened?"

"Fire Nation soldiers"

"What!?", she said in disbelief.

"There after after a young watertribe girl with a dragon like scar on her leg"

The twos eyes suddenly flew to the massive scar running along the young girls leg. That's when they realized . . .

"They're after Thalassa", Ambika whispered quietly while returning her gaze back to her husband her eyes wide and full of tears, "But that means . . . .".

"She was telling the truth", Li finished for her "She really came from the Fire Nation".

"What do we do?", Ambika asked as tears fell and she chocked on her words as she spoke. Li knelt down beside his wife and wrapped his arms around her. She turned towards him and berried her head in the crook of his neck. While petting her hair he whispered:

"I don't know Ambika I really don't know"

**The next day. . . .**

The 15 yr old stirred slightly before opening her eyes slowly. She was in a bed was the first thing that hit her but not just any bed but as she looked about the room she found it was her bed. She was back home.

_'How did I. ..'_, she thought but that's when all of it came flooding back. Shan. How she hated him but hoped that after this he'd leave her alone. But that wave? How'd that happen? Was it by coincidence or something else.

Thalassa shook it off and flung her legs over the side putting a little bit of pressure on her wrists. . .A sharp pain shot up both her arms and she jumped back and looked at her hands her wrists were bandaged.

_'O great they know'_, she groaned.

But who found her?

She suddenly found herself looking down to see her plain forest green nightgown that Ambika had made for her a few months ago.

'How'd I . . ', she wondered then realized, "Ambika" she said out loud.

Walking out of her room she shut the door to her room quietly and tip-toed down the hall as quietly as she could. Everything was quiet. She guessed Li had gone out to work on the farm and Ambika was probably with him. The children were still asleep.

The Kitchen was empty except for NiNi who layed lazily across the carpet infront of the stove. The 15 yr old shook her head and walked outside. It was a bright and sunny summer morning with several white clouds floating in the light blue sky. There was a slight breeze that rippled across the 5 acre farm.

On the clothes line on the eastern part of the logged cabin was a clothes line with Ji's white shirt and Koko's green dress along with her robe, pants, and undergarments? Thalassa's eyes suddenly grew wide and looked down her nightgown to find fresh ones underneath. She blushed in embarrassment.

"Your awake!", came a voice from her right. Th 15 yr old turned find it was Ambika.

"Yeah", the 15 yr old replied quietly as the older woman approached her.

"Thalassa who did this to you", Ambika suddenly asked her, her voice serious but concerned.

Thalassa was startled by the sudden outburst but still didn't respond just kept her eyes downcast and avoided eye contact.

"Was it Shan?", Ambika asked quietly when she remembered what Ji and Koko had told them earlier. Just because the others didn't believe the two children and her husband hadn't seen him when he and the children discovered the 15 yr old laying in the wet grass, drenched and unconscious, doesn't mean he wasn't responsible. She actually believed the two of them she could tell something was up by how that boy always wanted to know where Thalassa was and how when ever something happened to Thalassa, Shan was never around.

Thalassa felt her heart race when she mentioned Shan. Did she know? Should she say anything? Most of all would she believe her? Deciding that she couldn't keep the truth a secret anymore sighed and replied quietly:

_"It was"_

* * *

Alright it just keeps getting more and more intense doesn't it. How will Ambika react? What about the soldiers in Binghe? What about the gang? What was the conversation about? Will Ming return? Most of this and possibly more will be answered in the next chapter. So stay tuned.

Please review.

_(ps. I must get at least 1 or 2 reviews to add chapter 12. I want to know what you think of this chapter and the previous since no one reviewed. Do you not like it?)_


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